The Danes in Lancashire

Th e D a n es i n La nc as hi re

a nd Yorks hi re

N GTO N S . W . PARTI n

ILLUSTRATED

SHERRATT HUGHES

n n : Soh o u a Lo do 3 3 Sq re, W. M a n chester : 34 Cros s Street I 909

P R E FACE .

‘ ’ ' THE s tory of th e childhood of our race who inh a bited th e counties of L a nca shire a n d Yorkshire before th e

a t a n a m a a to th e Norm n Conques , is l ost bl nk p ge

a a to-da a a popul r re der of y . The l st inv ders of our

a a s h e a a n d shores , whom we design te t D nes Norsemen ,

not a n were the le st importa t of our a ncestors . The

t t a a a t a n d u t H is ory of heir d ring dventures , cr f s c s oms ,

s a n d a a t th e t a belief ch r cter , wi h surviving r ces in our

a a a n d a th e t t . l ngu ge l ws , form subjec of his book

the a nd e From evidence of relics , of xisting customs a n d t a t t ac a n d a s r di ions , we r e their thought ction , their

t a n d a a t a n d th e m ﬁrs steps in speech h ndicr f , develop ent

e at o a of their religious conc ptions . Our educ i n uthorities

” h a ve rea lized th e fa ct th a t Loca l N a mes conta in a fu n d of history a nd mea ni n g wh ich a ppea ls to th e young a s well a s to th e a dults ; a n d the county commi ttees h a ve been well a dvised to recommend the tea ching of H istory a nd Geogra phy from loca l fea tures a n d events .

a i tt a t . t . . Some rt cles wri en by the l e M r John Jus , M A ,

B r a a a n d t a a of u y , on our e rly r ces , elemen s of our l ngu ge a nd a c t to th e t to t u di lect , formed the in en ive wri er con in e

th e story Of our D a nish a ncestors . To th e following wri ters we a re indebted for ma ny

a t a n d ta t : . o a . . f c s quo ions H C lley M rch , Esq , M D

. a a a a n . . W G . Collingwood , Sc ndin vi n B rit i W S

a t s e a n d o C lverley , S one Cro s s M numents of West

”79 69 3 4 P vi . RE FACE

’

a n d a . a a morl a nd Cumberl nd Dr W . W gner s T les a n d a t n t t Tr di io s of our Nor hern Ances ors M r . B oyle ,

i n a a t e . D nes the E s R iding of Yorkshir Mr . J . W

B a B . A . the a t e taff r dley , , of S l Mus um , S ord , Runic

a a a nd - a a H . . a a C lend rs Clog Alm n cs Rev J y Collig n ,

o . . a n Liverp ol ; Professor W A Herdm , Liverpool ; “ ” a s a u s of B a tt e a Mr. J . T . M rq i , the l of B run nburh ; ”

Worsaac a n i n n a . Dr . , D es E gl nd

t K a a Ma Messrs . Ti us Wilson Son , end l , Pl tes , p

R a oes etc a Co . of , . ; Sw n , Sonnenschein , London ;

a a t Co . . Willi ms , Norg e , London

a tt n . n a To Ch rles W . Su o , Esq , Free Refere ce Libr ry ,

a n t a a a a n d a ta a t M ches er , for v lu ble dvice ssis nce gr eful t a a r h nks e now tendered .

R . S . W . PA TI N GTON

B Y to e 4 1909 UR , Oc b r , . CO N TE N TS .

Invasion and Conquest Settlements

Pla ce - N a me s Patronymics

Physica l Types still existing

Politica l Freemen

Husba ndry Stone Crosses Runes

Memorial s

Litera ture Mythology Supe rstitions Agricul ture LI ST O F I L L U ST RAT I O N S .

' ' Canute Fron tzspzece PAG E Viking Settlements 1 3

Extwistle H a ll 3 4

Brunanburh Map 3 6

’ Old Da ne s House 40

Ancient Danish Loom 8 0

H eysha m Hogba ck 1 2 0

a a a - on - D nish Orn ments , Cl ughton brock

H a lton Cross Ormside Cup

Clog Alm a na c Symbols

Runic Calend a r

a C rved Wood , with Runes

B ra ctaetes

H al ton Cup

Ca lders tones . . , N o I

Calders tones . . , N o I I Invasion an d Conquest

CH APTE R I .

AN D INVASION CONQ UEST .

A VIC TORIOU S people have always a wide - spreading inﬂuence over the people subdued by them . An inferior race never withstood a superior one . The very fact that the D a nes gained not only an ascendancy in many parts of England during the

- Anglo Saxon dynasties , but even the government

a of them all , is proof that they were at that period a race of individuals superior to the natives of the land . The indigenous Britons felt the ameliorating inﬂuence of the Roman superiority and the civilisa tion which formed an element of the Roman sway . The Danes exercised and maintained an inﬂuence equal to the extent of their amalgamation for the

a gener l good of the country . The Romans were as much superior to the aborigina l Britons as the English of the present day are to the Africans and

a Sikhs . The Saxons were an adv nce on the

Romanised Celt , while on the Saxons again , the Danes or Northmen were an advance in superiority

a and great element of improvement . Leaving the D a nes to tell their own tale and write their own histories in favour of their own fatherland , we undertake to sketch out their connection with our of own county Lancaster , with the permanent , and 4 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

of . still existing , effects that connection Hitherto history has unfolded nothing as to the date when the

” Vikings ﬁrst visited the Lancashire coast ,

a n d plundering the county , slaughtering the inha bitants . The Danes ﬁrst visited the eastern

a A D 8 coasts about the ye r . . 7 7, as narrated in the 8 of S axon Chronicle . In the year 94 the city

a Chester fell into their h nds , under the redoubtable

H astings . This celebrated place the Danes

fortiﬁed , and henceforward , along with the other

of a a cities Derby , across the isl nd , held at interv ls until their power waned by the amalga m ation which

n eventually constituted o e people . Local names

are the beacon lights of primev a l history . The of names places , even at this remote period of time , suff ice to prove th at the Danes left an impression of superiority by their invasion . At this time the

a a Danes inv ded the coast of L ncashire , and formed

settlements therein . Cumberland a n d Westmorl and

were under the dominion of Cumbrian Britons . At this early period the Danes h ave so intermingled

- to with the Anglo Saxons , as inﬂuence the names

of - the hundreds into which the shire was sub divided . N o chronicle may register this fact , but the words

do a n d do s o , will , long as they constitute the signs

a n d symbols of ide a s a n d things . The northern

of a a n d hundred the shire was named Lonsd le ,

not of Lunes dal e b ut extended only over the district ,

also included the territory north of the sands . The second hundred into which the shire was divided IN VAS ION AN D CONQ U EST 5

s was Amoun derness . I f we allow nes to be of

OI‘ l l I‘l strictly Scandinavian g , then this hundred has a “ ” Amoun der strictly Danish or Norse name , being the ﬁrst Viking who settled in the Fyl de country . “ ” Bl ak eb urn B lackburn , pronounced , is the third name of a hundred which lies more inland , but h av mg little or no coast line within the shire . Inland the Scandinavian inﬂuence diminished . Hence the genuine Anglo - Saxon name of this div ision ; in the “ ” early times Bl agb urn shi re . The fourth hundred is

a s that of S lford , also inland , hence under no Dani h

e e - inﬂuence . The name is g nul n Anglo Saxon and perhaps this hundred includes natives less mixed with Scandinavian population than any other in the

- north of England . The broad Anglo Saxon frame is seen to perfection in the country districts , and the light , ruddy complexion . The men were made for endurance and slow in movements . It would be a difﬁcult task to get them to move if they felt disinclined to do so . The last hundred has much sea an d came s coast , therefore much under Dani h inﬂuence . Hence the name , West Derby Hundred . No one who knows anything of our early history will

a hesit te to pronounce this name altogether Danish , so that three out of the ﬁve hundreds into which the county was apportioned were under Danish domina ” ” tion . Bi , Danish , in modern English by , was the common term given by Danish settlers to their residence . Derby or D eorb y means not the residence or home of the deer , but a locality where 6 TH E DAN ES I N LAN CAS H I R E

h a d a a . the nim ls abounded The Danes , more than

a f or . any other people , reverence the dead

a Wherever hero fell , even if but a short time suﬂi ce d to a n d cover his remains , this was done ; if

a a nothing better to m rk the spot , boat which

a brought him hither was pl ced over him , keel upper “ a a H a u r or wa s most . Failing boat , g mound raised over his grave . When Christianity upset “ ” or of these Hofs , sacred enclosures Odin and

Thor, then crosses were erected over the Christian

r graves . This accounts f o the universal number of f Crosbys in the Danish district o the kingdom . Conquered Rome converted an d conquered its

a a a barb ri n and he then masters to the Cross . Anglo

a S xon converted his Danish neighbour , and subdued him to the Cross . The higher the superstitions of the Pag a n the greater the devotee when he is converted . When the Danes were converted to Christianity by their intercourse with the Anglo - S axons they trans ferred a l l their superstitious feeling to the emblems of a Christi nity . Churches were a lso built by th e na tura lised D a nes in all places where they settled ; an d j ust a s e a sy a s it is to recognise their dwellings “ ” so to by their bys , it is know the places where they

a a f r re red their churches . Their n me o a church “ wa s kirkj a . Hence in wh atever compound n a me

a this word enters as component , there it indicates

a b . orm a D nish origin Hence Kirkby , F y, Ormskirk , and Kirkd a le are pl aces appertaining to the early I NVAS ION AN D CONQ U EST 7

— Anglo Danish history . Dale is likewise a genuine

a s a . appellative , in Kirkdale as alre dy noticed

: Besides , in this hundred we ﬁnd Skelmersdale ,

a a a . Ainsd le , Cuerd le , and Birkd le The only two places which the Danes seem to have noticed in their navigation of the Ribble were Walton - l e - dale and the more important Cuerdale , now renowned in arch aaol ogy for the richest ﬁnd of ancient coins

an recorded in history . The D es brought a treasure of pieces to Cuerdale . Mingled with the

a coins were bars of silver , mulets , broken rings , and of ornaments various kinds , such as are recorded

a a a s by Sc ndin vian S ga . M any countries had been K . uﬁc riﬂed for this treasure , Italian , Byzantine ,

- F rench , and Anglo Saxon coins were in the booty ; besides genuine Danish pieces , minted by

a kings and j rls on the Continent . Another discovery

H arki rke of Danish treasure was made at , near Crosby The coins here found were of a more recent deposit , and contained but one of Canute the

Great . From the Mersey to the Ribble was a long ,

a sw mpy , boggy plain , and was not worth the Romans ’ while to make roads or to ﬁx stations or tenements . From the Conquest until the beginning

1 8 wa s of the th century this district almost stagnant , and its surface undisturbed . The Dane kept to the shore , the sea was his farm . He dredged the coast

a and the estuary , with his inn te love of danger , till Liverpool sprang up with the magic of E astern

an d a fable , turned out many rover to visit every 8 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

region of the world . The race of the Viking are ,

’ a a of m ny of them , the richest merch nts the earth s ' surface .

— so- a D ane l a About half of England the c lled g , or of to community Danes , was for centuries subj ect

2 Danish l aws . These laws existed f or 00 ye ars a fter the Norma n Conquest . The Normans long retained a predilection for old Danish institutio n s

a and forms of j udic ture , and their new laws bear the

a n impress d colour of the older time . This is

a of est blished beyond doubt , in spite of the boast

a the f mous Sir Robert Peel in Parliament , that he was proud “ The Danes tried in vain to overcome the institutions of Engl a nd instead of securing ” them . The English word b y - law is still used to

a or denote municip l corporate law , which is derived ” - L from the Danish By ov . This shows they must have had some share in developing the system of j udicature in English cities . The Hustings were well known in the seven cities under D a nish rule . “ ” The earliest positive traces of a j ury in “ ” a D ane l a England appe r in the g , among the D a nes established there ; and th at long before the

a time of William the Conqueror . The present vill ge of a a of Thingwall , in Cheshire , was pl ce meeting ” f or or th e the Thing Trithing , a court held in open ai r to settle laws and disputes in the s ame

a a a t Ma n . m nner as th t existing Tynwald , Isle of

M B . an t th e t J n J ust . A. From ar icle by la e oh , , of ury I NVAS ION A N D CONQ U EST 9

The division of Ridings in Yorkshire is also

derived from this Danish custom .

The Trithing was a Danish institution , so also

was the wapentake . What are called hundreds

are a in some counties , called w pentakes in others ,

a thus from the Norse t ka , which means a ” weapon grasping . Tacitus says the ancients used to express assent by wa ving or brandishing ” their weapons . I f the sentence pleased they struck

their spears together , since the most honourable ” kind of assent is to applaud with arms . From this practice the word came to mean the sentence or

an ak decree had been thus authenticated . Vap t in the graf a s of Icelandic parliament mea ns the

s breaking up of the se sion , when the men resumed their weapons which had been l a id aside during the

assembly . (Cleasby . )

S LOCAL NAME . As a maritime race the Danes brought to our county not only a knowledge of the sea , how to navigate its perils , and the secret of successful trading , but also possessed the art and craft of shipbuilding to a higher degree than any then known . We still have the old Danish name in Liverpool of

David Rollo and Sons , shipbuilders and engineers . The following Danish maritime terms have become

u : part of our lang age Vrag , a wreck ; ﬂaade , ﬂeet ;

skib sb orde vinde , Windlass ; , shipboard ; mast , mast ;

r n d st ma . seile , sails ; y , steersman 1 0 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

From the fa ct that Thingwall in Cheshire and Tynwald in the I sle of Ma n afford the memorial of a n d or the assizes , that wald vold signiﬁes ” or a bank rampart , where these courts were

a not held in order to be s fe from surprise , may we ” a to presume the loc l name The Wylde , in Bury ,

a or be derived from the s me source , as the bank ramp art would be used previous to the building “ “ ol d p or of the castle The Danish byr , by ,

a a n d me ns a settlement , town , or village , as the word ” berg means a hill , and borough , bury ,

are a f or brow , and burgh simil r terms a

a fortiﬁed hill , we may suppose Bury to be t ken ” b ri from this source , instead of from the Saxon y g , a bridge , when no bridge existed .

C H APTER I I .

N SETTLEME TS .

From the year 8 76 the Danes became colonists and settlers . Raid and plunder gave place to peaceful pursuits . The English Chronicle says that in this year H al f dene apportioned the lands of Northumbria ; and they henceforth continued ” ploughing and tilling them . This colonisation of Deira by the Danes was soon followed in other districts . The greater part of central Britain with the whole of the north and east came entirely under

Scandinavian rule . In 8 77 trading is recorded by the Sagas from

Norway , in a shipload of furs , hides , tallow and

dried ﬁsh , which were exchanged for wheat , honey ,

wine and cloth . Thu s early was established the

as increase in comfort and wealth , evidenced by the erection of Christian monuments early in the

tenth century . The origin of long -weight and long ” hundred count is traceable to the Danish settle

a th e ments . This peculi r reckoning survives in

1 2 0 . . selling of cheese lbs to the cwt , and in the

1 2 0 . counting of eggs , to the hundred The timber tra de counts 1 2 0 deals to the hundred On the

East Coast ﬁsh are counted 1 3 2 to the hundred .

C H APTER I I .

N SETTLEME TS .

From the year 8 76 the Dane s became colonists

a and settlers . R id and plunder gave place to peaceful pursuits . The English Chronicle says that in this year H al f den e apportioned the lands of Northumbria ; and they henceforth continued ” ploughing and tilling them . This colonisation of Deira by the Danes was soon followed in other

districts . The greater part of central Britain with the whole of the north and east came entirely under

Scandinavian rule . In 8 77 trading is recorded by the Sagas from

Norway , in a shipload of furs , hides , tallow and

dried ﬁsh , which were exchanged for wheat , honey ,

a wine and cloth . Thu s early w s established the

increase in comfort and wealth , as evidenced by the erection of Christian monuments early in the

tenth century . The origin of long -weight and long ” hundred count is traceable to the Danish settle

ments . This peculiar reckoning survives in the

s 1 2 0 . . elling of cheese lbs to the cwt , and in the

1 2 0 . counting of eggs , to the hundred The timber trade counts 1 2 0 deals to the hundred On the

East Coast ﬁsh are counted 1 3 2 to the hundred . 14 TH E D AN ES I N LAN CAS H I R E

Six score to the hundred is still popular in

a of Westmorland me sure crops and timber . This Danish method of count was derived from th e

Icelandic term hundred which meant 1 2 0 .

a a Professor Maitl nd , in his Domesd y Book and ” Beyond , says that the number of sokemen or free

a men , owing cert in dues to the Hundred Court , or wh o to a lord , were masters of their own land , like the customary tenants of Cumberland , was greater f in Norfolk and Su folk than in Essex , and that in Lincolnshire they formed nearly half th e rural

a f popul tion . At the time o Domesday the number of of serfs was greatest in the West England , but none are recorded in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire . In the manors bearing English n ames the sokemen

two— ﬁf th s of numbered the population , while in those manors with Danish names they formed three - ﬁf th s of the population . (Boyl e ) In the Danelaw they represent the origin a l freeholders of the settlement a n d owed obedience “ ” to the local Thing or Trithing Court In those districts which were not conquered by Edwa rd the E lder the freeholders settled and prospered , an d with the spread of Christi anity they bec ame independent proprietors a n d traders . The presence of Danish place - names m arks the district which they conquered , including the counties of a Lincoln , Nottingh m , Derby , Leicester , Rutland , an of d North ampton . I n the rest of Mercia few

a a re to . these n mes be found , viz , in Cheshire ,

16 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

And in this m anner laid siege to the virtue of the women .

I f we are to accept the evidence of Lord Coke , we are indebted to the D a nish inv a sion f or our propensity to make Ale the nation a l beverage .

a This eminent authority says that King E dg r , in ‘ ’ a permitting the Danes to inh bit England , ﬁrst brought excessive drinking among us . The word Ale came into the English language through the Danish 61. At any rate after the of off advent the Norsemen , the English left drinking water and bega n to drink a l e as the regular everyday beverage of the people .

- The term beer was used by the Anglo Saxons , but seems to have fallen into desuetude until the name was revived to distinguish ‘ ale from ’ “ — Frorn I n ns A es a n d ri n ki n . l D hopped ale , , g

Cns l orn s o l d n a d b re d eri ck W O E l n F . f g , y é H a a wood . Green the historian in his Conquest of England sa ys the names of the towns an d villages of Deira Show us in h ow systematic a way southern North umbria was parted among its conquerors . The

n ot a English population was displ ced , but the lord

of s oi l wa ra n ship the s t s f erre d to the conqueror . The settlers formed a new aristocracy , while the older

a nobles sank to lower positon , for throughout Deira the life of an English thane was priced at but half ’ of a the value northern hold . The inference to be drawn from this passage is that the English S ETTL EM ENTS 1 7

lords of the soil were replaced by Danish ones , the English settlers remained in possession of their

ancient holdings . In the course of time the two

a races am lgamated , but at the Norman Conquest

this amalgamation had only been partially effected . I n the districts where the Danes settled they formed

new villages , in which they lived apart from the

general Anglian population . Had they not done so the memory of their settlement could never have been perpetuated by the Danish names given to their

homes . Every group of isolated Danish place

a are names te ches the same fact , and there many

a such groups . This is the case in the Wirr l district

of Cheshire , the peninsula between the Mersey and

the Dee , where we ﬁnd such names as Raby ,

P ansb Greasby , Frankby , Irby , y, Whitby and

of th e a Shotwick , and in the centre district the vill ge

called Thingwall . While throughout the rest of the

a county scarcely a Danish n me can be found , and as these n a mes were conferred by the D a nish settlers it is impossible not to believe that under analogous conditions the names in other districts were conferred in the same way . Where a new Village was planted midway between two older villages , its territory would be carved in varying proportions out of the of l lands the earlier sett ements . Sometimes certain rights of the older villages were m aintained in the e territory of which they had be n deprived . Thus in a

a a Danish village of Anl by , the l nds whereof were carved out of the adj oining townships of Kirk E lla 1 8 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

of and Hessle , the respective rectors these parishes had curiously divided rights to both the great and the small tithes ; whilst in the neighbouring instance of out of a a n d the Danish Willerby , carved Kirk E ll

a of a a l l Cottingh m , the rector Kirk E ll took the of great tithes , and the rector Cottingham took all

of vi l l a e the sm a ll tithes . This method Danish g

a f orma ti on explains a curious point . The found tion of the e arlier Anglian settlements preceded the development of the great road system of England . Le aving out of consideration the Roman roads and

a of the comparatively few British ro ds , the former which have rel ation to nothing but the military needs of our that all conquering people , existing road

- l system is due to the Anglo Saxon . Our o d roads lead from on e village to another and each vill age

a is a centre from which ro ds radiate . The D a nish

on villages were , the contrary , usually roadside settlements . New settlements were formed on the vast f ringes of wood an d waste which surrounded

a of a the cultivated l nds the older English vill ges . The road existed and the one village street was

a formed a long the line . Such w yside settlements are a a n d on Carn by Bessingby , the road from

to D riﬂi el d . Bridlington When , as was sometimes

a a the c se , the new settlement was planted at little dista nce from the existing road a new road running a t right a ngles from the ol d one an d leading directly to Towth r . o the settlement was formed Skidby , p,

Gri n da l b th e Kirby , y and many others are cases in S ETTLEM ENTS 1 9

point . One consequence of such conditions of formation would be that where the English settlements were most numerous the Danish

an d settlements would be few small , because there was less l and av ailable in such districts for their

on formation . While , the other hand , where E nglish settlements were more sparsely scattered

the Danish settlements would be more numerous ,

a n d comparatively large . Taking a large district

a like the E st Riding , the average area of the Danish townships may be expected to f a ll below

- that of the Anglo Saxon . The facts comply with a l l these tests .

to a Thus t ke the townships with Danish names , a n d comp are with similar districts of Anglo - Saxon n ames , we arrive at the conclusion as to whether the district was thickly populated before the coming of

- the D a nes . Many Anglo Saxon Villages are to be

a found long the course of the Roman road , which

- coincides with the modern one of to day . The two of classes population found only in Danish districts , ” Sochmann i the and the liber tenentes , are wholly absent in purely English districts . Both held land exempt from villain services , which was a condition of tenure introduced by the Danes . This fact shatters the theory of Green that E nglish settlers were communities of freemen . They were in fact c ommunities of bondmen , Villains , bordars , cottars , and serfs , the last holding no lands , but being bound t o the soil as chattels , and the rest holding their 2 0 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

of f or lands , at the will the lord , and in return

Sochman ? actual services . What then was the

of to- a one The lawyer day will nswer , He is who ’

a . held land by soc ge , tenure Although in Domesday this s och man is conﬁned to Danish

a of districts , fact which is recognised in the laws

E dward the Confessor . After the Conquest a type of tenure more or less closely corresponding to th a t

sochman by which the earlier held his land , was gra du a lly established over the whole kingdom . Ten a nts wh o owned such tenures were called

s och men , and the tenure itself was called ” socage . A distinction was drawn between free ” a a soc ge and villain soc ge . The fuller develop ment of the feudal system which followed the Conquest greatly complicated all questions of land f tenure . New conditions o holding superior to that th of socage were introduced . Thus in e pa ges of wh o of Britton , always speaks in the person the

K : Soch man ri e s ing , we read are lands and tene ’ n ot n or ments which are held by knights fee , by

a a grand serj e ntries , but by simple services , as l nds

or our out of enfranchised by us , predecessors , ”

. Br n ancient demesnes a cto is more explicit . He

a of a deﬁnes free soc ge as the tenure tenement , whereof the service is rendered in money to the chief

a n d et lords , nothing whatever is paid , ad scutum ” ” v . a 18 ser itium regis Soc ge , he proceeds ,

a an d a wh n med from soke , hence the ten nts o held in

a re soch manni t socage called , since hey are entirely S ETTLEM ENTS 2 1

occupied in agriculture , and of whom wardship and marriage pertain to the nearest parents in the right of blood . And if in any manner homage is taken thereof , as many times is the case , yet the chief lord has not on this account , wardship and marriage , ” Which do not always follow homage . He then ” goes on to deﬁne villain socage . The essential principle of socage tenure is rent in lieu of services . It is to this fact no doubt that the vast impetus which was given to the coinage of England soon after the coming of the Danes is largely due .

Worsaae As Mr . says , the Danish coiners increased to ﬁfty in number from the reign of

Aeth el re d to E dward the Confessor , and the greater number exercised this vocation at York and

o hman ni Lincoln . Thus the s c were found only in the settlements of the people who had created in E ngland a tenure of land free from servile obliga

tions . The manner of ﬁxing these early settlements of

land was the same in Ireland , in the East Riding of

Yorkshire , and in Lincolnshire . The same custom is still observed by our modern colonists who launch

out into the Australian bush . The land was staked out by the settler from the highest ridge downwards

to the creek of the river or shore . By this means

a the settler obt ined on outlet to the open sea . The

h u t homestead was built by the o d or husbandman ,

on the sheltered ground between the marsh and hill . T hese settlements became byes , and were encircled 2 2 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

f or . o by a garth , farmyard The names some Norse farms and settlements became composed of a Norse preﬁx and S axon ending . Thus we ﬁnd Oxton ” of of the farm the yoke , in the hollow a long ”

stortun or . ridge . Storeton , from big ﬁeld Many of these n ames are repetitions of places

a which exist in Cumberl nd , Denmark , and the Isle

on of Ma n . Raby and Irby were smaller farms the of boundary large byes , and were derived from the D a nish chief Iv ar Each homeste a d had its pastures and woods , which are denoted by the “ ” “ ” “ ” a a termin ls well , w ll , and birket , found in

a a . such names as Cr bwall , Thelw ll , Thingwall

or H l ith er a Thwaites were sloping p stures , of cleared wood , between the hill and marsh , used f or of grazing cattle and sheep . This system of agriculture is Norse origin , and many such “ ” a a re to a a thw ites be found in Wallasey , L nc shire ,

a n d a . Ca l da an d a the L ke district y C lder , recorded ” a — in Domesd y , Calders , derived from kalf gard ,

Ca l derstones t are names existing in , at Waver ree , a n d Ca l da a a s y ne r Windermere , well as at

a a Eastham an d in Scotland . E ch l rge settler had

f or a on a or summer pastures c ttle the highl nd moor , “ ” “ ” s oeters or s aetter a f or called , a shelter se t the

a dairym ids . F rom this custom we derive the names

a a a a a n d Seacombe , Satterthw ite , Seathw ite , Se sc le , l l Se aﬁel d . AS the popul ation increased the large estates were divided among the families of the early

a a a t settlers , and these upland pastures bec m e sep r e

2 4 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E names being that the l a nd was f or the mo st

a part lying waste , and was thus free from ssess

on ment . Thus we ﬁnd the present map that Norse n ames form a large number which are n ot of recorded in Domesday . Many these would be of later settlements . I n West Derby the names three l andowners appear in this survey with Norse names , while three others are probably Norse , and seven S axon . Following the fall of the Danish dynasty th e districts of South Lancashire formed part of Cheshire and we ﬁnd the n ames of six D rengs around Warrington , possessing Norman names , while only one be ars a Norse name . The word

Dreng being Norse , would infer that the tenure

— was of d a nelaw origin a n d n ot of Anglo Saxon .

of of - on - The founder the Abbey Burton Trent ,

Wu l f ri c of Spot , held great tracts land in Wirral a n d a a a West L nc shire , which are n med in his Will ” a 2 d ted 1 00 . Thus the Bon dr here held his land

a under Merci n rules , from which the hides and hundreds were similar to those of the previous ” danel aw .

a was of Lanc shire the southern portion Deira ,

wa s one of two a which the kingdoms , Bernici being

of Ida of the other , into which the conquests , king

a on . Northumbri , were his death divided I n

A Id a d a D . a n a of a 5 59 died , Aell bec me King Deir ,

a n d a w of a fter ards sole King Northumbri , until

8 or 8 . 61 son of 5 7 5 9 In 7, E dwin E lla was King S ETTLEM ENTS 2 5

' e of Northumbria , the greatest Prince , says Hum the historian , of the Heptarchy in that age . He 6 was slain in battle with Penda of Mercia . In 3 4

Ean f ri d the kingdom was again divided , reigning in Bernicia , and Osric in Deira . Then Oswald , saint as well as king , appears to have reunited the two provinces again under his kingship of North

mb rl n u e a d . Authorities , in more than one instance , vary as to the exact dates , within a year or two . The Saxon kingdom of Northumbria reached from the Humber to the Forth , and from the North

Sea to the Irish Sea . For two centuries after the death of Ecgf rith the Saxon king and the battle of

N ectansmere , history only records a succession of

an plunder d pestilence . Green the historian says King after king was swept away by treason and revolt , the country fell into the hands of its turbulent nobles , its very ﬁelds

lay waste , and the land was scourged by famine and ” plague . The pirate Northmen or Vikings as they were

a called ﬁrst , began to r id the coast of England with their ﬂeets with the obj ect of plunder . The English

Chronicle records their ﬁrst attacks in the year 78 7 .

a Three of their ships l nded on the western shores , these were the ﬁrst ships of Danish men that sought ” - the land of Engle folk . The Monastery of Lindisfa rne was plundered six

a ye rs later by their pirate ships , and the coast of

Northumbria was ravaged , Jan . , 793 . 2 6 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

The following year they returned and destroyed

a the monasteries of Wearmouth and J rrow . This was the beginning of the Norse raids on our Eastern shores .

In 8 75 H a lfd a n returned from his camp aign against Alfred and the year after he divided the lands of Northumbria amongst his followers . In m a ny parts we ﬁnd groups of Scandinavian place

a s o . . . n mes close and thick , says Mr W G Colling ” a a wood in his Scandin vian Brit in , that we must

war or assume either depopulation by , the nearly complete absence of previous population .

There is n o reason to suppose th at the e arlier

Vikings depopulated the country they rav aged .

wa s a Spoil their obj ect and sl ughter an incident , As Canon Atkinson has shown in his Analysis of the Are a of Clevel and under Cultiv ation at ” a of Domesd y Period , very little the country in that district wa s other th an moor or forest at the

of a n d of end the eleventh century , that most the

Villages then existing had Sc a ndin avi a n n ames . His conclusion is th at these districts were a wilder

a n d c a n d ness since Roman prehistoric lays , ﬁrst penetrated by the Danes and Norse : except f or

a s a some clearings such Cr thorne , Stokesley ,

a ol d a St inton , and Easington , and the mon stery at

Whitby .

This conclusion receives support , says Mr .

a n a of Collingwood , from nalysis the sculptured S ETTLEM ENTS 2 7 stones now to be seen in the old Churches and sites of Cleveland . It is only at Yarm , Crathorne ,

Stainton , Easington , and Whitby , that we ﬁnd

- monuments of the pre Viking age , and these are the products of the l atest Anglian period . f At Osmotherley , Ingleby , Arncli fe , Welbury ,

a . Kirklevington , Thorn by , Ormesby Skelton , Great

- i n - Ayton , Kirkdale , and Kirkby Cleveland are tombstones of the tenth and eleventh centuries . It is thus evident that the Angles were only beginning to penetrate these northern p arts of Yorkshire when the Vikings invaded and carried on the work of land settlement much further . F urther extension

a W was m de by the Norse from the est Coast , as

— - the place names Show . Monuments of pre Viking art work exist at places with Scandinavian names , s - - uch as Kirkby Moorside , Kirkby Misperton , and Kirkdale ; while in other cases only Viking age Crosses are found at places with names of Anglian

El l erb urn origin , such as , Levisham , Sinnington ,

Nunnington . This would indicate that some Anglian sites were

a a depopul ted and refounded with Danish n mes , while others had no importa nce in Anglian times but soon became ﬂourishing sites under the D anes . In the west of Yorkshire the gre at dales were

a a alre dy ten nted by the Angles , but the moors

a between them , and the sites higher up the v lleys , were not the sites of Churches until the Danish

- period . (See Angli an an d Anglo Danish Sculp 2 8 TH E DAN ES I N LANCASH I R E

w . ture in the North Riding , by W . G . Colling ood

iz onrn a l or/es Arc . Y . / , Yorkshire at the time of the Domesday survey was carucated and divided into Ridings and

a . a Wapentakes . Thingw ll , near Whitby (C non

Thi n h ow Gi nsb orou h Atkinson , site lost . ) g , near g

now a n d Thi n h ow n ow i n ne ( lost) , g , F y Hill , near

Northallerton . (Mr . William Brown ,

Tingley , near Wakeﬁeld ; Thingwall , near Liver pool ; Thingwall in Wirral , may have been Thing steads . (W . G . Collingwood . )

a - er h - N mes of places ending in g , and ark are

- d airy farms from s etr and s aetr. Name s with ulls

U l l scarth as preﬁx , such as U lpha , , U llswater , record the f a ct that wolves inhabited the hills . Bea cons were kept up in olden days on hills of w which bear the names Warton , Warcop , War ick

art l W h o e . and Tanshelf , near Pontefract , is

Ta dden es sc l f e Bl owi ck derived from y , B lawith and

Bl k r— a o . a rcl e f from g blackwood Axle , Acle , rom ox l , the shoulder .

TH E or BATTLE B RUNANBURH .

WA S IT F OUGHT IN LANCASHIRE ?

There is one entry in the Anglo - Saxon Chronicle which must be mentioned here as it throws light upon an arch mol ogi ca l discovery of

1 1 considerable importance . In 9 the Chronicle S ETTLEM ENTS 2 9 records that the Danish army among the Northum brians broke the peace and overran the land of

M ercia . When the King learned that they were gone out to plunder , he sent his forces after them , both of the West Saxons and the M ercians ; and they fought against them and put them to ﬂight , and slew many thousands of them .

There is good reason to believe , as Mr .

Andrew shows (Brit . Numis . Jour . i , that the famous Cuerdale hoard of Silver coins , which was found in 1 840 in a leaden chest buried near a difﬁcult ford of the Ribble on the river bank about two miles above Preston , represents the treasure

chest of this Danish army , overtaken in its retreat to ” Northumbria at this ford and destroyed .

Then follows a process of reasoning in support

of the above conclusion , based upon the place of

minting and the dating of the coins .

The bulk of the coins , however , were Danish ,

issued by Danish Kings of Northumbria , many of

them from York . Besides the Cuerdale ﬁnd of silver coins and ounces of silver there are records given of other Danish ﬁn ds — From the Victoria County

I . . History of Lancashire , Vol . , see Coins E a ch historian of this important event has

Claimed a different site , in as many parts of ’ “ ” England . In Grose s Antiquities we ﬁnd the t allied Scotch , Welsh , Irish , and Danes , the Nor h 3 0 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

a a An l a f umbri n rmy , under were totally defeated ,

Brun anb ur h Bromri d e in 9 3 8 a t g ( g , B rinkburn) , in

a of Northumberland , when Const ntine , King the

a n d of a Scots , six petty Princes Irel nd and Wales , with twelve E arls were Sl ain . This description is given in the Anglo - S axon Chronicle The honour of claiming the Lanca shire Site on the river Brun

to a . near Burnley , belongs the l te Mr Thomas

of a a Turner Wilkinson , a master Burnley Gr mm r

wh o f or Saxiﬁe l d 1 8 6. School , claimed it in 5

to . a s . . a We are indebted Mr J T Marquis , member of the Lanc ashire a n d Cheshire Antiquarian

f or a of Society , the following summ ry evidence which he placed before the above Society during

of 1 08 — a n d the winter session 9 9 , which will be

a found recorded in the Tr nsactions of the Society . “ a w H e s ys . There is over helming testimony in

” f a favour o the site on the Lanc shire Brun .

f r a ar The reasons o cl iming this site e simply two.

ol d — Bri n cab u rh An writer spells Brinkburn , and

a there is a n a rtiﬁci a l mound proving ﬁght .

a Brun f ord Brumb ri d e C mden gives , near g in

a a Northumberl nd , as the pl ce where King Athel

a a a a st ne fought pitched b ttle gainst the D anes .

a not a This might e sily be , but the b ttle we refer to .

” n o a There is re son given except the word ford . Gibson suggests th at it must h ave been some ” a a where ne r the Humber , although he ﬁnds diﬂi cu l ty in c arrying Consta ntine a n d the little King

a so of Cumberl nd high into Yorkshire . The other

3 2 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

Tra dition says it was intended to build the

a God Church on the site of the Cross , but th t willed

God - a it otherwise . ley Lane would be the l ne which led from the village in Saxon times to God ’ s

or God - on Le a ley , which was the new church and burial ground . Thus the new town would take its modern name from the ground on which the Church

- - - stood , namely Brun ley , Bron ley , and Burn ley

to The cross , built in Saxon times mark the spot

wa s where Christianity ﬁrst preached , stood at the “ ” of foot the burh near the Brun , and thus the early name would be Brun f ord .

The records of Domesd ay Book contain n o

T a n d mention of Burnley . o the east west would

of Bou l sworth be the vast forest and Pendle , while

the valleys would be m arshes a n d swamps . The

a n d ancient roads went along the hill sides , there is an a ncient road from Clitheroe by Pendle passing

a of now ob l iter long the east side the hill , almost

a a to on ted , le ding Barrowford . The ancient road

a of a Bou l sworth this e st side the v lley , was on the

Brun f ord v i a H a ate Sh e l ﬁel d slope from , gg and ,

to Castercl iff e an d a a , Colne , Tr wden which g ve its

a to a n d . n me the forest , E mmott

Dr . Whitaker tells us that in his day , in the ﬁelds about Red Lees are m a ny strange inequalities

in the ground , something like obscure appearances

of or foundations , perhaps entrenchments , which the levelling operations of agriculture have not been S ETTLEM ENTS 3 3

Wa l sh aw e able to efface . Below is a dyke str tching ’ across from Scrogg Wood to Dark Wood .

The ninth century annalist says , The Northmen ‘ protected themselves according to custom , with ’ Wa l sh aw wood and a heap of earth . A would

therefore be a wall of wood . Nothing was safer , when attacked by bowmen , than a wood . Such was the Brun - burh This burh at Red Lees with mounds and ditches , in a half circle on each side

a a of the Causew y , would have the s me appearance on being approached from the east and south - east as the eleventh century burh at Laughton - en - l e

Morthen in Yorkshire .

The ancient way referred to in Dr . Whitaker ,

from Burnley to Townley , would be from the

Brun f ord Market Cross , along Godley Lane to the w Cross , up over the ridge to the top of Brunsha , a long the Causeway to Lodge Farm , through the

Deer Park , through the Watch Gate at the foot of

Tu n a . the hill , and up to Castle Hill at l y Although Egbert was called the ﬁrst King of

England , his son Alfred the Great at the height of his power only signed himself “Alfred of the West ” Saxons , King .

E ngland was still governed under the three pro

. I . vinces at the time of Henry , namely Wessex ,

Mercia , and Danelagh . The latter province com prised the whole tract of country north and east of r Watling St eet . Mercia included the lands north

D 34 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

or a of the Mersey . Danish Northumbria Deir comprised the l ands to the we st of the Pennines . Amongst the hills north of the Ribble the hosti le

- a nations could meet in security . Saxon Merci of north the Mersey , surrounded by alien nations , and h aving been itself conquered from th at claimed as the Danelaw , would be the most likely where

of a was those nations could meet in time pe ce , and the deb atable land in time of war . of After the death Alfred , when E dward the

E lder claimed overlordship , the Danes rose in revolt in the north . It is recorded that he and his “ ” wa rrior sister the Lady of the Mercians aban doned d a of the ol er str tegy rapine and raid , for that of or siege and fortress building , the making and strengthening of burb s . E dward seems to have recovered the land

and between the Mersey the Ribble , for soon after

a of leaving M nchester , the B ritons Strathclyde , the

of Re nol d of Bamb orou h King Scots , g g who had

a t taken York this period , and the Danish North

a umbri ns take him to be father and lord . The

a not pl ce is mentioned , but must be somewhere

Bou l sworth between and Pendle . The same thing h appened when Athelsta n

a cl imed his overlordship . Proﬁting by following ’ to his father s example , he would travel from burh

a n d not fi a burh , his route would be dif cult to tr ce ,

namely , Thelwall , Manchester , Bacup , Broad Dyke ,

Easden Long Dyke , Fort , Copy Nook , Castle Hill ,

S ETTLEM ENTS 3 5

a Brunb urh Broadb ank Ca stercliff e W tch Gate , , , ,

Wi ne a l Ea mo Sh elﬁel d , w l , t .

- a A . D . 2 6 The Anglo S xon Chronicle says that 9 ,

Sihtri c perished , and King Athelstan ruled all the

Kings in the Island , the Northumbrians , Constan

of Ea l dre d Bamb orou h tine King Scots , of g , and others , which they conﬁrmed by pledges and oaths at a place Eamot on the 4th of the ides of July and ” they renounced idolatry . Everything points to the fact that Brunanb urgh gave its name to this battle . This part of the ’ S axon king s dominions b eing the one place where all the hostile n a tions could meet before the attack .

There is no other river Brun in northern Mercia , and the Saxon Chronicle says the battle was fought near Brunanburh .

Eth elward Brun an dune says (river and dale) .

Simeon gives Wen dune (Swindon) . Malmesbury

Tu u f r and g l names Brunanburh or B uf ord . F lor ence of Worcester near Brunanburh Henry of

Brun esb urh Gaimar Huntingdon gives , and has

Brunswerc , which we have in Worsthorne , which

Wrth ston is known to be derived from , the town of n a b r Wrth . In the A n a l es C m i a e it is styled the Bellum Brun (the Battles of the Brun) .

This would explain the many names . William of Malmesbury says that the ﬁeld was ” far into England . We have Browne dge and

Brown si de . In addition to all this we have ” ’ S Wi n l ess Saxiﬁel d Bishops Leap , Lane , , Saxi 3 6 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

a - ﬁeld Dyke . We have lso a Ruh ley , a Red Lees , directly opposite to which we have a traditional

a n d b attl estone a a battleﬁeld , lso High Law Hill ,

ore l aw of and H Pastures , a number of cairns stones , a sm all tumuli ; all of which may be said to be near the hillfort Brun b urh .

OF F AP DE S CRIPTION S BATTLE S ROM THE M .

a Si x to From the two Ordn nce maps , inch the

” one of f a n d of VVors mile , Briercli fe , the other thorne , it may be seen that the roads from Slack ,

a near Huddersﬁeld , p ss through the Pennine range ,

on of one by the long Causeway , the south the

an d on Sti ern den position the southern side , near p ,

Warcock . are is Hill From here running north , of a series ridges , Shedden E dge , Hazel E dge ,

to a Hamilton Hill , the other road from Sl ck , pass

at ing through the hills Widdop , and immediately on the north side at Th urs den is another Warcock

Hill . From Warcock Hill to Warcock Hill would stretch the army of An l a f in their ﬁrst position . From the north end of the position a road north to

Sh e l ﬁe l d Castercl iff e and , by means of which he would be j oined by his Welsh allies , from the

P ortﬁe l d Ribble , via , and his Strathclyde and

Cumbrian allies from the north . From this end of the position there is a road due west to the Broad

a a b nk , where there is the site of small camp at

H a a gg te . From here An l a f would send his Welsh allies

S ETTLEM ENTS 3 7

H r n ri under Adalis , and his shipmen under y g , for the night attack on the advancing Saxons as they crossed the Brunf ord . They fell on them some ’ on where the site of Bishop s House Estate , but were afterwards be aten back across the estates known as Saxiﬁel d . Two days afterwards both sides prepared for the great struggle near the burh ,

An l af cue and , taking his from his opponent , advanced his left and took possession of the hill

a Merecl ou h ne r g , afterwards called High Law

s (Round Hill) , and the pasture behind still known

Battl estone as Battleﬁeld , with a stone called in the centre of it . Constantine and the Scots were in charge of the hill , and the Pict , and Orkney men behind . His centre he pushed forward at Brown E dge , to the “ r Tun of W st . While his right touched S ’ winden Water under Adalis with the Welsh and shipmen . Two days before the great battle Athelstan

Brunb urh marched out of at the north end , and encamped somewhere on the plain called Bishop ’ s

Brun f ord House Estate , his route by the , and ’ probably S Wi n l ess Lane . We are told that Amlaf entered the camp as a ’ s s spy , and ascertaining the po ition of Athelstan tent , formed the night attack for the purpose of destroying him . Athelstan , however, leaving for another part of his position on the Brun , gave

Wersth an . , Bishop of Sherborne , the command 3 8 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

The Bishop met his de ath somewhere on the ’ a a s estate , the P sture being known Bishop s Leap , which undoubtedly gave its n ame to the estate .

a Ad lis , the Welsh Prince , had done this in the

a a of Wa l sh aw night ttack , prob bly coming by way ,

l f i er D arkwood . A and g took up the command , with Th orol f on his right and Eglis in support in

Al f i er wa s front of the wood . g first assaulted by off Adalis with the Welsh and driven the field , Th ol f a fterwards fleeing th e country . or was

a H r n r a ass ulted by y g the Dane , and soon afterw rds

a . Th orol f by Ad lis also , ﬂushed with victory

to a directed his colleague Eglis ssist him , exhorted

to a a n d by his troops st nd close , if overpowered to

retre at to the wood . Th orol f or Thorold the

was of Viking the hero this day , near the Nether

wood on Th urs d en Water . He fought his way to ’ H n ry gr s stand ard a n d Slew him . His success

a animated his followers , and Ad lis , mourning the

of H r n r wa a hi s death y g , gave y and retre ted , with followers b ack over Saxiﬁe l d to the C a usewa y c amp B at roadb ank . Wh atever took place at S ax iﬁe l d the enemy left

a n d at it entirely , the decisive battle took place the

’

of Brunb urh . a S Wi n dene other end In w lking up ,

’ w a on by S inden W ter , the district the right between th at river and the Brun is called in old

a Roo- Ruh li e m ps ley and in older manuscripts ,

’ a m rked in Thomas Turner Wilkinson s time , with

a a an c irn d tumulus . Some distance further on we S ETTLEM ENTS 3 9

ﬁnd H e ck enh urst . The roads down from the burh are at Rool ey and at Brown si de and at Red Lees by the Long Causeway leading to Merecl ough .

a Th orol f Athelstan pl ced on the left of his army ,

Roo- at ley , to oppose the Welsh and irregular Irish

Brown si de under Ad a lis . I n front of (Burnside) ’ was Eglis with the picked troops , and on Eglis

right opposite Worsthorne , Athelstane and his

- Anglo Saxons . Across the original Long Causeway on the Red

Lees , with the burh entrenchments immediately at

was Turk etu l his back , the valiant , the Chancellor , with the warriors of Mercia and London opposite

Round Hill and Merecl ough . ’ Th orol f began by trying to turn the enemy s right

a a ﬂ nk , but Ad lis darted out from behind the wood ,

n ow H a ck enh urst Th orol f , and destroyed , and his

- foremost friends on Roo ley or Ruh l i e . Eglis

en coura came up to assist his brother Viking , and g ing the retreating troops by an effort destroyed the

out Welsh Prince Adalis , and drove his troops of

the wood . The memorial of this ﬂight was a cairn

- and tumulus on Roo ley . Athelstan a n d Amlaf were ﬁghting in the centre

f or of the possession (Bruns) Weston , neither

a making much progress , when the Ch ncellor

Turk etu l , with picked men , including the Worcester

Si nﬁn men under the magnanimous , made a ﬂank

a t Merecl ou h t ack at g , and breaking through the

of th e defence the Pict and Orkney men , got to 40 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

’ ’ Back 0 th Hill . He penetrated to the Cum

an d brians Scots , under Constantine , King of the

’ Grampians . The ﬁght was all round Constantine s

s on wa s , who was unhorsed The Chancellor

an d Sinﬁn nearly lost , the Prince released , when ,

a f with mighty e fort , terminated the ﬁght by slaying

the Prince .

to on e a o On Round Hill , down hundred years g ,

stood a cairn called High Law. When the stones of were made use to mend the roads , a skeleton was

found underneath . That would , I believe , be a

memorial of the ﬁght . ’ ’ 0 th a At Back Hill , blind road leads through

a n what in old map , and in tradition is called ” a B ttleﬁeld , and the ﬁrst memorial stone is called

Battl eston e . Another similar stone is further on .

F ollowing the blind road through Hurstwood , the

Chancellor would ﬁnd himself at Brown End , near

. of Brown E dge At the other end the position ,

won Eglis having the wood , would be in the neigh b ourh ood of a to Hell Clough , re dy charge at the

’

a s Turk etu l on a of An l a f s . same time , the re r army of At this point the battle , Athelstan , seeing this ,

a m de a successful effort and pushed b a ck the centre .

a a of Then began the c rn ge , the memorials which are to on a still be seen Brown E dge , H milton

a Swi ndene P sture , , Twist Hill , Bonﬁre Hill , and even beyond . Those who could get through the hills at Widdop would d o s o : others however “ ” would take their hoards from the camps at

42 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E yet been offered of the cause of this gigantic work or of the use to which it was put originally . Speak “ ing of it Newbigging ( History of Rossen da l e s ays

The c areful investigations of Mr . Wilkinson h ave invested this singular work with more of interest than had before been associated with it , by

a a n d his having with m rked ability perseverance ,

of a collected together a mass exh ustive evidence , enforced by a chain of argument the most conclu 2

to a of sive , with regard the much deb ted locality the great struggle between the Saxons and the Danes ,

a which he ende vours , and most successfully , to Show is to be found in the immedi ate neighbourhood of a n d Burnley , in connection with which the earth

i n not un work question constituted , probably , a ” important adj unct .

a Again , he s ys

Sax on ﬁe l d Saxiﬁe l d I f ( ) near Burnley , was the scene of the engagement between the troops of

a An l a f Athelst n and , then it is in the highest degree

one or of a probable that other the riv l armies , most

of a or a likely that the S xon King , forced , ttempted to force a pass age through the va lley of the Irwell a n d th at there they were encountered by the con federated hosts intrenched behind the v a st e a rth work at Broa d cl ough that commanded the line of their march . Whether this was taken in ﬂank or S ETTLEM ENTS 43

a was re r by the Saxon warriors , or whether it

a successful in arresting their progress , or del ying a portion of their army , it is impossible to determine ; but that it was constructed for weighty strategical

was purposes , under the belief that its position of

s the last importance , so much of the remain of the extraordinary which still exists affords sufﬁcient ” evidence .

Plac e N ame s

CH APTE R I I I .

- PLACE NAMES .

An eloquent modern writer has declared , with a good reason , that even if all other records had i “ per shed , anyone with skill to analyse the language , might re - create for himself the history of the people speaking that language , and might come to appreciate the divers elements out of which that people was composed , in what proportion they were mingled , and in what succession they followed one upon the other . From a careful analysis of the names of the more prominent features of the land ; of its divisions , its towns and villages , and even its

as streets , as well the nomenclature of its legal , civil ,

a ri cu l and political institutions , its implements of g

s ture , its weapons of war, and its article of food and

— clothing , all these will yield a vast fund of history . The place - name Liverpool has been the greatest puzzle to local etymologists . From the earliest known spelling— recorded in a deed of the time of

- . 1 1 8 Lever ool Richard I 9 99 , where the form is p to the present , it has gone through more changes than any other local name . As the Norse element in the vicinity of Liverpool has been very great , we may assume the original derivation to come from 48 TH E DA N ES I N LANCAS H I R E

h l i th ol d f or . , the Norse a slope The north “ di a lect also contains the word Iith er meaning

a sluggish . It is an adj ective be ring the same “ a me ning as the modern English lithe , pliant , or

Li th oe gentle . The names g , Lethbridge , Clitheroe ,

a and Litherland m y be derived from it .

or From the peaceful reign of Canute , Knut ,

a - we derive the n utical term , some place names

- Knuts ford , Knott End , Knot Mill , Knottingley . ” ” K nutr Knotta Knot , from old Norse , and , a

a to b ll , was the name given the measurement of speed of a ship . Fifty feet was the distance allowed between the knots on the cord , and as many as ran out in half a minute by the sand - glass indicated the speed of the ship . And thus we speak of a 1 0 knot breeze

a s - a Hope , a place n me , is common from the

Orkneys to the Midlands , and is derived from an ” f or - old Norse word hoop , a small land locked

or or bay , inlet a small enclosed valley , branch from

- the main dale . Hope is a common place name , as well as a surname . I n compounds we ﬁnd it in

H o eki rk Ho eh ea d D r h o e . p , Hopeton , Hapton , p , y p ” From Trow , a trough , we derive Trowbridge ,

w a . Troughton , Trawden , and probably Ra tenst ll

of Brunanb ur a The battle g , which took pl ce in the year 93 7, is supposed to have been fought on the site

on of the modern Burnley , the river Brun . King

“ n tt th e n nt n as i n K o is also used for ame o f a mou ai or hill , m e n tt i n t n b ut n th e a n A ide K o , Wes morela d , ear L cashire border .

5 0 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

Some Angli a n districts were refounded under

. D anish names , and became ﬂourishing settlements Canon Atkinson has shown by his analysis of of Cleveland , that at Domesday , very little that To of district was under cultivation . the end the eleventh century it consisted of moor and forest , and that many of the villages had then D a nish of names . The name Ingleby shows the passing ’

of . the Angles , by the addition the Danish by At Domesday Yorkshire was divided into Ridings

th rithi n s a n d . ( g ) , Wapentakes

a Th i n h ow Such names as Thingw ll near Whitby , g

a Th i n h ow ne r Gainsborough , g near Northallerton , of and Tingley near Wakeﬁeld , though some the t sites have disappeared , remain to show the cen res f of D a nish government . The presence o many Sc andin avian pl a ces and names suggests that the

country before then was a wilderness . The condition of the country may be gathered from the records and traditions of Reginald and Symeon of

Durham . In 8 75 Halfd an the Dane began his raid

a n d of into Bernicia , the Abbot Lindisfarne ,

Eardwul f of ﬂed before him , taking the relics

. a St Cuthbert . These w nderings , says Symeon , of covered a period nine years . The leader of this

Ea dre d of band was , the Abbot Carlisle (Caer

a a n d Luel) , whose mon stery had been destroyed ,

f r o . with the city , lay in ruins two hundred years At the places where these relics rested during their

a an d w nderings , Churches were afterwards erected , PLACE -NAM ES 5 1

dedicated to this Saint . The direction taken by the fugitives has been traced by Monsignor Eyre and

the late Rev . T . Lees , ﬁrst inland to E lsdon , then

by the Reed and Tyne to Haydon Bridge , and up

the Tyne valley ; south by the Maiden way , and then through the fells by Lorton and Embleton to

D erw ntmouth . e the Cumberland coast At , Work

i n ton a g , they determined to embark for Irel nd , but were driven back by a storm and thrown ashore on

a the co st of Galloway , where they found a refuge

at Whithorn .

Mr . W . G . Collingwood says in his Scandinavian ”

B . ritain , that in this storm the M S Gospels of Bishop Eadﬁrth (now in the British M useum) were

washed overboard , but recovered . At Whithorn the ’ bishop heard of Halfdan s death , and turned home

wards by way of Kirkcudbright .

The fact that the relics of St . Cuthbert found refuge in Cumberland and Galloway shows that the

Danish invasion , from which they were saved , took v ery little hold of these parts . The Vikings of the Irish Sea were already under the inﬂuence of C hristians , if not christianised , and were not hostile t o the fugitive monks , while the natives welcomed t hem . The early historians relate the curious story of ’ t h e Guth re d . election of , Halfdan s successor

Ea dre d , Abbot of Carlisle , who was with St . ’ Cuthbert s relics at Craik , in central Yorkshire , on t h e way home , dreamt that St . Cuthbert told him to 5 2 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

b o Guth re d son of from sl avery , a y named , “ of H ard e cnut (John Wallingford says , the sons d to of H ardecn ut h a d sold him into sl avery a n present him to the army as their king . He was also to a sk the a rmy to give him the l and between the

n d n d a to . a Tyne a the We r , as a gift St Cuthbert a sanctu ary f or criminals . Conﬁdent in his mission , b o he carried out its directions ; found the y , ’ ransomed him , gained the army s consent , and the

of a a Guth re d gift the l nd , and procl imed King at ” Eardwul f to Oswige dune . then brought the

a of . on same pl ce the relics St Cuthbert , which

a every on e swore good faith . The relics rem ined

at - l e - a n d Eardwul f until 999 Chester Street , there

- re established the bishopric . of In these records the Saxon historian Symeon , we h ave the curious illustration of the Viking raiders becoming rapidly transformed from enemies

into a llies an d rulers chosen from a mong them .

’ of Guth re d s wa s a n d The history reign peaceful ,

a he bec me a Christian King . His election took

a place a bout the ye r 8 80 . During the reign of

Guth re d a a , his kingdom bec me christi nised , the sees

of a a n d Lindisf rne York survived the ch anges . Guth re d died in 894 a n d was buried in the high

church at York .

1 Ra nva l d a In ua l d In 9 9 g , c lled by Symeon g ,

bec a me King of York . He was one of the most of romantic ﬁgures the whole Viking history . Hi s PLACE - NAM ES 55

: Ra nva l d n ame bore many forms of spelling g ,

Rei n ol d Ranal d . g , Ronald , , and Reginald

Coming from the family of Ivar in Ireland ,

n a l d Bi cl och a 1 2 Rag v mac rav ged Scotland in 9 , fought an d killed Bard Ottars son in 9 1 4 off the

Isle of Man . Joined his brother at Waterford in

9 1 5 and set out f or his adventure in North Britain .

Landing in Cumberland , he passed along the

a Rom n wall , and becoming King of York , was the

ﬁrst of the Irish Vikings who ruled until 9 54 . The attacks of Vikings who were still Pagans

are continued , and many curious lights shed by the

chronicles of Pictish writers . The power of St . Cuthbert over the lands given for a sanctuary to

Ea dre d the Abbot , is recorded in the legend of ’ b a l l r O laf Ball (from , the stubborn) , a Pagan who

refused rent and service to St . Cuthbert , for lands

Ra nv al d granted to him by g , between Castle E den

a and the We r . This Pagan came one d ay to the

- - Church of St . Cuthbert at Chester l e Street . He

Cuth eard shouted to Bishop and his congregation ,

can to ? What your dead man , Cuthbert , do me ? Wh at is the use of thre atening me with his anger

b a I swear by my strong gods , Thor and Ut an , th t ” I will be the enemy of you all from this time forth .

Then , when he tried to leave the Church , he could n ot lift his foot over the threshold , but fell down

. . a s dead And St Cuthbert , was j ust , thus got his lands . The succession of races which gave m any of our 54 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

- place names , and the order in which they came , has been pointed out in the following names by the late

of : Maeshi r now Canon Hume , Liverpool , called

Ma ck erﬁel d was Maesh ir , called by the Britons ,

a l on ﬁel d me ning g ; to which the Saxons added ﬁeld ,

n ow Lon ﬁe l d - ﬁel d Wan sb eckwater which becomes g ,

is Danish , Saxon , and English , three words meaning

T r enh owhi l l a . o w ter Then we have p , a hill in

a Cumberland , composed of four words , each me ning

hill .

of In addition to maritime terms , and terms

government , we derive from Danish sources titles of

a n d ueen earl k ni h t honour dignity , such as king , q , , g ,

and sheriff . The Danes have left us traces of their occupation of in the word gate , which is frequent occurrence , and used instead of street in many of our older

. wh o towns The Saxons , were less civilised , left

ton . many terms , such as , ham , stead , and stock

But they had n o word to denote a line of houses . Gata was therefore n ot the English word used

of . a for gate , but a street houses From the Norm n

a row . we h ve , from rue , a street

The names of many of our streets and buildings

a re full of historical associ ations and inform ation .

In Bolton , Wigan , and Preston we ﬁnd some streets

of a s Bra dsh aw ate bearing the name gate , such g ,

a l l a W te Stan di sh ate Fi sh er ate . g , g , and g In the of R towns York , ipon , Newcastle , and Carlisle PLACE -NAM ES 55

many more of these gates are to be found . York has no less than twenty gates .

To the roads of the Romans , the Danes gave the

i e name of a braut , . . , the broken course , or cleared “ ” way . (From this a braut comes the modern

English word abroad , and the adj ective broad . ) The Anglo - Saxon took the name of street from the

Roman strata . Thus we get the name of Broad

Street , being two words of similar meaning

Lone , lonely , and alone come from i laun , which means banishment , and those thus outlawed formed the brigands of the hill districts . We thus

Lunes dal e get , Lune , and Lancaster , from which

John of Gaunt took his English title . Skipper was the Danish term for the master of a small vessel . In the game of bowls and curling the skipper is the leader or director . ” Hay , the Norse for headland , pronounced hoy ,

s - furnishes us with everal local place names , such as

Huyton , Hoylake , Howick .

R S A A NO SE F E TIV L . Trafalgar Day is celebrated by the usual custom on October z l st— b y the hoisting of the British ﬂag on the public buildings and by the decoration of the Nelson M onuments in Liverpool

. 1 8 0 and London This battle was fought in 5 , and decided the supremacy of Britain as a sea power . Long may the deathless signal of our greatest hero continue to be the lode star of the man and the 56 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E nation : England expects that every man will do his duty . Let us trace the connection between Lord Nelson and the Danes in our own county . Admiral Nelson ” a a a bore genuine Scandinavi n n me , from Nielsen , and was a native of on e of the districts which were

a a a e rly colonised by the Danes , n mely , Burnh m thorpe , in Norfolk . His family were connected

a of with the vill ge M awdesley , near Rufford , which

- still has f or its chief industry basket m aking .

ai rh urst at a of F Hall , P rbold , in the same district

wa s of f or Lancashire , the home a Nelson family many centuries . This reca lls the fact th at we have still in existence ” a a curious survival . A str nge festival is

a ear on a 1 st w or celebr ted each y J nuary 3 at Ler ick ,

a a of . Kirkw ll , the capit l the Orkney Isles The festival called Up- helly - a seems to be growing in f avour . Lerwick becomes the Mecc a of the

f or a n d North many days , young people travel long distances to witness the revels th at go to m ake up the celebration of the ancient festiv a l . All former occa sions were eclipsed by the l a st displ ay . At

’ h a lf - p a st eight o clock a crowd of about people a ssembled in the squ are a t the M a rket Cross . In

a war a or S the centre stood Norse g lley Viking hip , with its huge dragon he a d towering upwards with

a graceful bend . Along the bulw rks were hung the

’ warriors shields in glowing colours , the Norse ﬂag ,

a . a with the r ven , ﬂoating overhead On bo rd the

5 8 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

of a sparkling coat mail , and carried a prettily embl a zoned shield and sword . The squad of which he was chief were got up as Vikings . Curiously enough , these were followed by Dutch vrows . The Orkneys and Shetland Isles were ceded to f . o of James I I I Scotland , as the dowry his wife ,

1 6 of Margaret , in 4 9 , and became part Great Britain

on m . the union of Scotland with England . Ja es I married Ann of Denmark , and passed through

1 61 Lancashire in August , 7, when he visited

P ni ans Hoghton Tower . The effusiveness of the resto was outdone at Hoghton Tower , where His M aj esty received a private address in which he was apostro ” h i se d p as Dread Lord . He is reported to have exclaimed Cot ’ s splutters ' What a set of liege men Jamie has '” Patronymic s

CHAPTER I V

N PATRO YMICS .

We are sprung from the sea ; a county of sea

- ports is our dwelling place , and the sea itself our ample dominion , covered throughout its vast extent ” with our fellow subj ects in their ﬂoating cities .

These are ﬁlled with our wealth , which we commit to the winds an d waves to distribute to the extremi of ties the four quarters of the world . We are therefore no common people , nor are they common events which form eras in our history ; nor common revolutions which have combined and modiﬁed the elements of our speech . Though we have kept no genealogies to record to us from what particular horde of settlers we are sprung— no family chronicles to tell us whether

a a Saxon , D ne , Norse , or Norm n owns us as progeny— still our n ames serve p artly to distinguish ” us , and words themselves thus still remind us

of what otherwise would be totally forgotten . It h as been cl aimed that two - thirds of us are sprung

— from the Anglo Saxons and Danes , and had our l anguage kept p a ce with our blood we should have

h a d about two - thirds of our modern English of the

a . same origin . But we h ve more Our tongue is , 62 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

our . i s hence , less mixed than blood It therefore easier to trace out the histories of words than of families . It is difficult at first sight to determine whether family names have been derived from f amily residences or the residences have obtained their n ames from their first proprietors . The Romans imposed their military names upon the towns of th e

de s ri early Britons . The Danes added their own c p

a to n mes , and previous becoming converted to Christianity gave the names of their heathen deities to the mountains and landmarks . To these were added the names of Norse a n d Danish kings and j arls . After the Norman Conquest , when the land had been divided by William the Conqueror among his followers , comes the period when surnames were taken from the chief lands and residences . Pagan deities supply us with many surnames . From ” ”

O sb al di stone . Balder comes Balderstone , Thor

Turs da l e gives us , Turton , Thursby , Thorley ,

a a Thurston , and Thurstaston , in the Wirr l , ne r West “ ” k . e ran b Kirby Fr yer supplies F risby , F y, Fry , “

a . or F ryer , Fr isthorpe , and Fraser U ller

U l l ersth or e Oller gives E lswick , p , E lston , “ ”

. Vé a U lverston From , sacred place , like “ ” ol d Viborg , the Jutland assize town , we derive

W da l e Wi th or e W th or e Wi l b e y , g p , y p , Willoughby ,

f our . o force , Wigton , and Wyre Some earliest “ ” Lancashire names are derived from Gorm , ” “ Bil li n r wh o a n d g , Rollo , were Norse Danish PATRONYM ICS 63

k ings . Their names and their compounds show us ” a that the Danes were Christi nised , as Ormskirk ,

which provides very many surnames , such as Orme ,

Ormesh aw O ram , Ormsby , Ormerod , ; and another

form of Gorm , Grim as Grimshaw and Grim

rmb s argh . F o y and Hornby may also be traced to

Bil li n r this origin . From g we get Billinge , the

v illage near Wigan , standing on a high hill and

having a beacon , Billington and other names of this

c onstruction . From Rollo we derive Roby “ i n . Arv Raby , Rollo , Rollinson , Ribby From g ,

a n . heir, we get Irving , Irvin , and Irton From

Oter we have Otter , Ottley , Uttley . The Danes

s a ailed up the river Dougl s , and gave the name “

arl stown . Tarleton , from J Many Christian

n — ames come from the Danish Eric , E lsie , Karl ,

Harold , Hugo , M agnus , O lave , Ralph , Ronald , Reginald Surnames formed by the addition of son or sen are common to both Danes and

E nglish , but never appear in Saxon names . Thus

a we have Anderson , Ad mson , Howson , Haldan , M atheson , Nelson , Jackson , Johnson , Thomson , and

Stevenson . The different names we ﬁnd given to the same trees arise from different settlers giving and using “ ” “ : their own form of name Birch , Bracken ,

- Crabtree , and Cawthorn . Wil ding is also “ h ” . W asset known in Westmorland and Yorkshire , which gives its name to a small hamlet near

- Beetham , in Westmorland , is Danish ; Wil ding 64 TH E DAN ES I N LAN CAS H I R E

is probably F lemish , and also Wild , Wilde , as this

a a a A . D . 1 8 name d tes from bout the ye r 3 3 , when of Eward I I I . encouraged numbers F lemings to come over from the Netherl a nds to introduce and

a improve the ma nuf a cture of woollens . He loc ted

f a of a n d them in di ferent p rts the country , we ﬁnd them settled in Kendal a n d in the vicinity of Bury

a f r a a n d Rochd a le . This will ccount o this surn me being s o frequently found in L a nc a shire . “ Co enh a e n th e of a From p g harbour merch nts , we

- derive m any import ant pl a ce n a mes and surn a mes .

a a a a or a A Copem n was Chapman , merch nt de ler ; a n d thus we derive Cheap , Cheapside , Chepstow ,

a n d . a Chipping I n surnames we get Copel nd ,

Co eth orn e a n d . Copley , p , Capenhurst The com mon “ ” to or a expression chop ch nge , comes from this source . In the London Lyckpeny of 1 43 0 we ﬁnd

a on f or to cr a a F lemings beg n me y M ster , wh t ’

ou or . 1 a a will y copen buy In 5 79 , C lvin in “ : co e mai sters a n d sermon said They play the p ,

a of m ke merchandise the doctrine of this Gospel . These e a rly copmen remind us of the L anc ashire merch ant wh o h a d visited the States a fter the

American Civil War. He s aid to the l ate John “ : H ow to Bright I should like return here , ﬁfty

a a a to a ye rs fter my de th , see wh t wonderful progress ” these people have made . J ohn Bright rep l ied

a no Si r ou a of I h ve doubt , , y will be gl d any excuse ” to come back . To the a bundance of surnames derived from

66 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E wa s a a r sold . This c used the m ket and wa ke to be

f t a nd a a f or use ul adj unc s , prep ration welcoming the

’ a a 2 th D a New Ye r on M rch s , St Cuthbert s y , the

a of a t wa s a 2 rd a nd annivers ry his de h held on M rch 3 ,

a a f a a Viking custom dem nded e st . The old n a me of

a t f a was a Da rva l wa s the de h e st c lled , and the name

a f to a a a t a t tr ns erred the c kes e ten the w ke , and hey ' a a r a were c lled D vel C kes . Long a f ter the even t com memora ted wa s for gotten D a rvel C a kes were supplied in Lent to gues ts

a a t Churchtown w kes . Connected with these fa irs there was a ceremony of e f a a nd a t a a r of el cting o ﬁci ls , these soci l g the ings a ll th e loca l celebrities a M a yor wa s e lected wh o

a t f ta gener lly dis inguished himsel by being hospi ble .

e a r no Similar ceremonies still exist , wher ch rte s

u a t as a longer s rvive , such places Poulton ne r

a a nd a r a . Bl ckpool , Norden ne Rochd le Tra ces of the Norman are found in Dunham

a M ssey and Darcy Lever and a few others , but along the whole of the east an d north of the county the S axon a n d D anish landholder seems to have held in peace the ancestral manor house in which he

a had dwelt before the Conquest , and the h ughty insolence of the Norm an wa s comp ara tively u n

a known . Speke , the oldest m nor house in South

a a L ncashire , ne r Liverpool , is derived from ” a wa s Spika , Norse for m st , which used for

a . a f ttening swine P rr is a wooded hill , and this ” word enters into many compound names . Bold ,

v — n l — From D a r el dea th a d ti feas t . PATR ONYM ICS 67

near St . Helens , signiﬁes a stone house , and is the surname of one of the oldest Lancashire families . ” Breck a The Norse , a gentle declivity , is much in evidence in West Lancashire , as in Norbreck ,

Warb ri ck Swarb ri ck Torb ri ck Kil l b ri ck , , , in the

l de F y district , and also Scarisbrick , in the vicinity of Ormskirk . This name used to be spelt Scaurs ” breck , and is a compound of Scaur , a bird of the

a se gull type , and breck from the natural forma

n Skel mers tio of the land . Birkdale , Ainsdale , m dale , Kirkdale , A sdell , Kirby , Kirkby , Crosby , are a l l place - names of Danish origin which provide many surname s in the county . Where Danish names a bound the dialect still partakes of a Danish character .

ENGLI SH SURNAME S .

A great majo rity are derived from trades and callings . Some may be traced from ancient words which have dropped out . Chaucer and

Sutor are now meaningless , but long ago both

i n s g iﬁed a shoemaker . A pilcher formerly made greatcoats ; a Reader , thatched buildings with reeds or straw ; a Latimer was a writer in Latin “ ” f or legal and such like purposes . An Arkwright was the maker of the great meal chests or arks , which were formerly essential pieces of household furniture ; Tucker was a fuller ; Lorimer was

‘ n t th e t v The a ces ors of poe were, howe er, more likely Chaussiers, n makers o f lo g hose . 68 TH E DAN ES I N LANC AS H I R E

r or a wash erma n a s a dl e ; Launder Lavender , ; “ “ ” Tupper m a de tub 5 ' Jenner was a j oiner ; ” ” a a a a B rker t nner ; Dexter , a ch rwoman ; Bannister kept a b ath ; S anger is a corruption ” of or Bowch er singer minstrel ; , a butcher ; “ ” “ Milner a miller ; F orster , a forester ; a f Chapman was a merch a nt . The ancestors o the Colem ans and Woodyers sold those commodities in former generations ; Wagners were waggoners ;

wa s and Naylors made nails . A Kemp once ” a term f or a soldier ; a Vav a sour held rank

ol d — between a knight and a baron . Certain fashioned Christian names or quaint corruptions of them have given rise to p atronymics which at ﬁrst sight appear

a h rd to interpret . Everyone is n ot aware that Austin is identic a l with Augustin ; and the name

Anstice is but the shortening of An astasius . E llis wa s originally derived from E lias . Hood in like manner is but a modern corruption of the ancient d O o or . n ot f ar , Odin Everett is removed from the

n ot a once uncommon Christian name Ever rd , while even Stiggi ns can be safely referred to the northern ” ” hero Stigand . The termination ing , signiﬁed

a n s on or offspring . Thus Browning d Whiting in this way would me a n the dark or f air children . A number of a ncient words f or rural obj ects have

wdra long ago become obsolete . Co y in olden “ a a of a a a d ys signiﬁed grove h zel ; G rnett , “ ” a a gr n ry . The sufﬁx Bec in Ashbee and “ ” H ol mb ec of is a survival the Danish by , a PATRONYM ICS 69

habitation . Dean signiﬁes a hollow or dell , and

th e word bottom meant the same thing . Thus Higginbottom meant a dell where the hicken or mountain ash ﬂourished Beckett is a little ” ” brook , from the Norse beck . Boys is a “ ” corruption of bois , the French for wood . “ ” ” Donne means a down ; Holt , a grove , and l d . o Hurst , a copse Brock was the term for ” a badger , hence Broxbourne ; while Gos in

Gosford signiﬁed a goose .

N AN D O DIALECT IN LANCASHIRE YORKSHIRE . The district of England which during the

h a s H eptarchy was , and since been known by the n ame of Northumbria , which consists of the territory lying to the north of the rivers Humber (whence th e - h umb ri a name North ) and Mersey , which form the southern boundaries , and extending north as far as the rivers Tweed and F orth , is generally known to vary considerably in the speech of its inhabitants from the rest of England . Considering the great extent and importance of this district , comprising as it does more than one - fourth of the area and population of England , it seems surprising that the attention of philologists should not have been more drawn to the fact of this difference and its causes . From an essay on some of the leading characteristics of the dialects spoken in the six northern counties of England (ancient Northumbria) by the late Robert

Backhouse Peacock , edited by the Rev . T . C . 70 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

1 86 a a a Atkinson , 9 , we le rn th t , when ddressing

to of themselves the subj ect dialect , investigators h ave ess ayed to examine it through the medium of its written rather than its spoken language . The chara cteristics to be found in the language n ow spoken have been preserved in a degree of purity which does n ot appe rtain to the English of the

a present day . It is therefore from the dialect r ther than from any literary monuments that we must obtain the evidence necessary f or ascertaining the extent to which this Northumbri an differs from

a — not of English in its grammatic l forms , to speak its general vocabulary . The most remarkable ch aracteristic is the deﬁnite ” or article , the demonstrative pronoun t , which is an abbreviation of the ol d Norse neuter demonstra “ “ ” tive pronoun hit Swedish an d Danish et . That this a bbrevi ation is n ot simply an elision of the “ ” th e letters he from the English article , which

of ol d a is F risian origin , is app rent from the fact

of a that all the versions the second ch pter , verse I , ’ f or of a m instance , Solomon s Song , I the rose of ” a of Sh ron , and the lily the valleys , the uniform abbrevi a tion f or a l l p arts of Engl a nd is the elision

of a th e th on the ﬁnal letter e , m king into the

out of of other hand , fourteen specimens the same i verse in Northumbria , e ght give the t occurring

’ ’ ’ rooa z 0 three times in the verse , thus , I s t ’ ’ ’ ’ ” a n a o a . Sh ron , t lily t v lleys The districts where the Sc andinavian a rticle so PATRONYM ICS 7 1 abbreviated prevails are found in the versions to be the county of Durham , Central and South Cumber

a land , Westmorl nd ; all Lancashire , except the

- South eastern district , and all Yorkshire ; an area which comprehends on the map about three - fourths

of all Northumbria .

— i The next leading feature is the proposition , which is use d for in . This is also a pure Scandi

navi ani sm , being not only old Norse , but used in

a . Icel ndic , Swedish and Danish of the present day Two instances occur in the 1 4th verse of the same

chapter, where for O my dove , thou art in the clefts

a of the rock , in the secret pl ces of the stairs , ’ ’ ’ ’ a at s we h ve idiomatic version O my cushat , i t ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ”

wh ol s . grikes o t crags , i t darkin o t stairs Another word which occurs in six of the Northum

a . brian versions is also Scandinavi n , viz , the relative

a t th a t pronoun for . From this illustration of a

short verse and a half of Scripture , we have estab li sh e d the Norse character of the dialect as distin

ui sh e d g from common English , of ﬁve of the most

a ordinary words in the English language , n mely ,

th e i n th at art the representatives of the words , , , and

a m . These instances from the Etymology of the Dialects help to establish the following canon ° That when a provincial word is common to more

on e than dialect district (that is , districts where in

f a other respects the dialects di fer from e ch other) ,

a s it may , a rule , be relied upon , that the word is not

a corruption but a legitimate inheritance . Those 72 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

to a referred , we have seen , are the inheritance of whole province , that province being formerly an entire kingdom .

a Proceeding in the usual order of gramm rs , having

of to th e disposed the article , we come next s b s ta n ti v es f u . These di fer from the ordinary “ English in th at they recognise only one c a se where English has two. The Northumbri an di a lect dispenses with the possessive or genitive case almost ’ ” ’ f or a or entirely , and my f ther s hat , my uncle s ’ ’ ” f a ddh er h at wife s mother s house , say , my , and

mu ddh er . my uncle wife house Upon which , all that need be remarked is th at they h ave gone fu rther in simplifying this part of speech th a n the rest of

th e their countrymen , who have only abolished dative and accusative cases from the parent languages of their speech . Extreme brevity and simplicity are eminently Norse a n d Northumbrian

a ch aracteristics . We h ve already seen some ’ rem arkable instances in the versions of Solomon s

saw a Song , where we th t the ﬁrst three words , I ” are a am the , expressed in as many letters , n mely , ’ ’ “ ' a 1 a rt I s t ; and ag in in verse 4 , thou in the ,

“ ’ ’ by at s i t We have here another insta nce in

a of - of the bolition the genitive case ending , out m any more that might be a dded . I n pronouncing the days of the week we ﬁnd

Sun n d a f or a Th ors da f or a n d Sund y , Thursday ,

Setterd a f or a a . Saturday , lw ys with the short da

The remaining days as in ordinary English .

74 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E l nter ecti ons j .

— Ech l excl amation of delight . ’ H oity - toity — wha t s the m atter : Norse ”

h utututu .

- — Woe werth l woe betide .

AN R ILLU ST ATION .

A good illustration of Danish terms may be gathered from the following conversation heard by a minister in this county between a poor man on his ’ - a to death bed and farmer s wife , who had come

” ’ o ette n visit him Well , John , she said , when y g ’ ’ theer yo ll may happen see eaur Tummus ; an d yo ll ’ ’ ’ im h a d th un tell we n shandry mended , a new pig

’ ” sto e un at b eawt . y built , we dun pretty well him ’ ” t ' Beli me , Mea y he answered , dost think at

’ ’ ’ ’ aw s nowt f or t d o b o go cl umpi n up u n d eawn t ’ ’ skoi es a seechi n yo re Tummus The word

mun also is in frequent use , and comes from the ” ” swi a Danish verb monne ; the Danish g , to ” to H e aw drink in , as tak a good swig , and he ” swigged at it l Many D anish words become purely

kow cow f ue d stue d English , as foul , fowl ; , ; , food ; ,

” ° f orenoun a n d a ttern oun stood ; drown , drown

a n d a became forenoon afternoon st lker ,

a k k o to . st lker ; , cock ; want , want In popular superstition the races h a d much in

. N ok common The Danish river sprite , imagined ” ” to or by some be Nick , Owd Nick , the devil ; ” ” but properly Nix , a brownie . He wore a red PATR ONYM ICS 75 cap an d teased the peas ants who tried to ﬂit

(D anish ﬂ ytter in order to escape him . ” Gretan Though we have , to weep , it also means ”

a . to salute or bid farewell , from the Danish gr ta ’ ” Give o er greeting , we hear it said to a crying

a child . While greeting is a popul r word of

Danish origin , so is Yuletide for Christmas , and ” ” Yule Candles , Yule Cakes , Yule Log .

The word Tandle means ﬁre or light , and is given to a hill near Oldham . From this we derive ” our Candle . Lake , to play , is still used in our district , but never heard where Danish words are not ” a prevalent . In the D nish , Slat means to slop , ” and it is said , He slat the water up and down .

A very common participle in Lancashire is b eawn .

b ui nn The Danish is prepared , or addressed ” “ ’ ’ b eawn to , or bound for , as Weere ar t furt goo In Danish and Lancashire “ ling ” means

- heath ; but it does not occur in Anglo Saxon . From ” ” the Danish Snig , to creep , we get snig , eels .

Rossen da l e Locally we also have the name , which covers a large extent of our county . May we “ ” not suppose this to be from rost , a torrent or

va l l e P whirlpool , and dale , the Danish for y The names of places beginning or ending with ” Garth , or Gaard shows that the people were settling in Gaarde or farms belonging to the ” chief , earl , or U daller . With the Danish Steen ,

a for stone , we have Garston , G rstang , Garton , as

as well Garswood and garden . 76 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

The Danish having no such sound or dipth ong ‘ ” our th f or of as , must account the relic the “ ” “ ” a f or pronunci tion at that , which is much used ’ our a s toime in local dialect , It s at he were here ,

” “ a t being the Danish conj unction f or th at

a to The word we use for sprinkling w ter, deg ,

- dea a n does not come from the Anglo Saxon g , which means to dye or tinge with colour , but from ” deog or deigr. Shakespeare uses the word in “ ” “ : the Tempest , where Prospero says When I d ’ have eck d the sea with drops full salt . From ” “ ” K l umb r a s , a mass or clod , we get clump , m ’ c l u i n . a clump of wood , and p clogs Stowe s ys , “ He brought his wooden shoes or clumpers with ” him . Physic al Type s Still Exi sting

CH APTE R V

X PHYSICAL TYPES STILL E ISTING .

As e arly as the eleventh century the names of English towns and villages are written in the Domesday Book with the Danish ending by or ” bi , and not with the Norwegian form of boer or b O This preponderance of Danish endings proves the widely extended inﬂuence of the Danes in the North . That they Should have been preserved in such numbers for more than eight centures after

the fall of the Danish dominion in England , disproves the opinion that the old Danish inhabitants of the country were supplanted or expelled after the cessation of the Danish rule ﬁrst by the

- a n d . Anglo Saxons , afterwards by the Normans

Mr . WOrsa: says The Danes must have continued

' l n to reside in great numbers these districts , previously conquered by them , and consequently it follows that a considerable part of the present popul ation may with certainty trace their origin to

a to . the Northmen , and especi lly the Danes The general appe arance of the inhabita nts is a weighty

corroboration of the a ssertions of history . The

a a a bl ck h ir , d rk eye , the prominent nose , and the long oval f ace to be found in the Southerners remind 80 TH E DAN ES I N LAN CAS H I R E

or us of the relationship with the Romans , a strong mixture of the British Anglo - Saxon and Norman

f a n d races . The di ference in physiognomy stature of the Northern races are also e a sily be recognised .

of a a The form f ce is broader , the cheekbones st nd

a at out prominently , the nose is ﬂ tter , and times

are turned somewhat upwards . The eyes and hair of a lighter colour , and even deep red hair is far

ar n from uncommon . The people e ot very tall in stature , but usually more compact and strongly built ” th an those of the South . The still existing popular dialect is an excellent proof that the resemblance of the inhabit ants is not conﬁned to an a ccidenta l or personal likeness . M a ny words and phrases are preserved in the local dialect which are neither found nor understood in

of n ot other parts the country . These terms are

to a a only given w terf lls , mountains , rivulets , fords ,

a a and isl nds , but are also in common use in d ily life . The housewife has her spool a n d spinning ” wheel from spole ; her reel a n d yarn - winder from ” ” rock and g ranwi n dl e ; her baking - board from ”

b a eb ord . to a g She is about kne d dough , from

dei an d to a or g in order make o ten bread , thin

out a - a cakes beaten by the hand , we have cl p bre d “ or - kl a erb rOd Clap cake , form pp and klapper

” “ ”

. a b ordc l aith kake She spre ds the tablecloth , , ” f or on de n dinner , ; while the ﬁre smokes , reeks , a s a a it m kes its way through the th tch , thack , ” where in olden times the loft , loft , was the upper

PHYS I CAL TYP ES STI LL EXISTI NG 8 1

room or bower, buir . Out in the yard or gaard , “ ” is the barn , lade , where is stored the corn in ” ”

a . thre ves I n the river are troughs , trows , used

to cross over . These were two small boats , cut out

of the trunks of trees , and held together by a cross

pole . By placing a foot in each trough the shepherd rowed himself across with the help of an “ ” u daa l oar . He goes up the valley , p , to clip , “ ” th e . a klippe , the sheep It is s id that Canute

Great crossed over the river Severn in this manner, when he concluded an agreement with E dmund

Ironsides to divide England between them .

Bl a ddra B lether , from , is also a common expres “ ” a sion , me ning to blubber or cry , to gabble or talk

without purpose . Another form of the word is ”

a . ble t , as applied to sheep Other words now in use from the Norse are ” ” - - tri nter twinter, a two year old sheep , and , a “ - a - three ye r old . A gimmer lamb is a female

’ - . i e lamb The lug mark , . . , a bit cut out of a sheep s

ear that it may be recognised by the owner , is from ”

l O . gg mark Log IS law , and thus it is the legal ” mark . The smit or smear of colour, generally red , by which the sheep are marked occurs in the

Bible of U lphi l as in the s ame sense as smear . Another proof may be found on the carving in the knitting sticks ma de and used by the Northern

a pe santry of the present day . The patterns are

decidedly Scandinavian .

Of the people of this district , it may be said that

G 8 2 TH E DAN ES I N LANCASH I R E

in their physical attributes they are the ﬁnest race

in the British dominions . Their Scandinavian

s de cent , their constant exposure to a highly

t f or oxygenised atmosphere , heir hereditary passion

a o thletic sp rts and exercises , their happy tempera

ment , their exemption from privation , and many

other causes , have contributed to develop and

- maintain their physical pre eminence , and to enable them to enj oy as pastime an a mount of exposure and

fatigue that few but they would willingly encounter . wh o Thomas de Q uincey , lived thirty years among

them , observed them very Closely , and knew them , “ well , after remarking that it is the lower classes that in every n ation form the fundus in which lies ” the national face , as well as the national Character ,

says Each exists here in racy purity and integrity ,

n ot - n or th e disturbed by alien inter marriages , in

of or other by novelties opinion , other casual effects derived from education and reading ” The same author says There you saw old men whose heads would have been studies for Guido ; there you saw the most colossal and stately ﬁgures among the young men that England has to show ; there th e

most beautiful young women . There it was that sometimes I saw a lovelier face than ever I shall see ” a - gain . The eloquent opium eater gave the strongest possible proof that his admiration was re a l by taking one of these beautiful young women to wife . The men of our northern dales do not pay much

84 TH E D AN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

from the huts of th e shepherds and cowherds . Cow eb ooth Baco b ooth From this we trace p , p , and ol d Crawsh awb ooth . Booth is derived from the “ b ﬁd ” “ ” Norse , a dwelling , while from byr and “ boer we get the surnames Byrom , Burton , ”

a . Buerton , B mber , Thornber Forseti was the of on e of a n d j udge the Norse deities , the word awcett a cit or supplies us with F , F , Facid as it was

1 8 1 . a spelt in 7 , and F oster Unal was a D nish

a chief , whose n me survives as a surname Neal , Niel , ’ “ l d arb or O N eil . o and From the Norse y g , an Yerb ur h Se db ur earthwork , we get Yarborough , g , g , and Se db erg . Boundaries have always been of matters great importance , and twistle is a bound ary betwixt f arms . Endrod was King of 8 En dr Norway in 7 4, and his name furnishes , whose

a a n d . bound ry becomes E ntwistle , also E nderby ” rockr ol d f or Rochdale is derived from , Norse an d rock , dale from the Norse daal , a wide valley ; thus the N orsen ame Rochd a le supplanted “ ” - f R a a o ach d am. a Celtic S xon n me G mul ,

ol d a a meaning , was a common person l name mong

. a of 1 0 1 Norsemen In grant land dated 5 , ﬁfteen of years before the Conquest , appears the name Game l son a Gouse , which is distinct Norse patrony m i c . Gamb l esi de wa s on e of the v accari es or cow

of Rossen da l e wa s pastures F orest , and spelt

a u - G mb l side . In Anglo Saxon and Teutonic

a s o di lects mg is a patronymic , as in Bruning , n

. P . M . of Brun , says Mr Robert F erguson , , in his a a s Surn mes a Science . But it has also a wider

s . ense Thus , in Leamington it signiﬁes the people P HYS ICAL TYP ES STI LL EXISTI N G 85

th e rn th e . of Lea , on which river place is situated From a like origin comes the name of the Scan di na

s - vian Viking , Vik ing ; the people from Vik , a bay

Sir J . Picton , in his Ethnology of Wiltshire , “ says : When the Saxon s ﬁrst invaded England they came in tribes , and families headed by their patriarchal leaders . Each tribe was called by its ’ ’ leader s name , with the termination ing , signifying family . Where they settled they gave their patriarchal name to the mark , or central point round ” which they clustered .

Considering the great number of these names , amounting to over a thousand in England , and the manner in which they are dispersed , it is impossible to consider them as anything else than the everyday names of men . This large number will serve to give an idea of the very great extent to which place names are formed from the names of men who founded the settlements . It must be remembered that the earlier date now generally assigned for the Teutonic settlements tends to give greater latitude to the inquiry as to the races by whom the settle a s ments were made , as well the fact that all our s e ettlements were made in heathen times . From th neighbouring tribe of Picts we retain one form ” ecth un p , from which we derive the surnames of

Picton , Peyton , and Paton . This may suggest that we owe the name peat to the same origin . We have also the word pictures , probably formed from “ “ ” pict , and heri , a warrior .

CH APTE R VI .

POLITICAL FREEMEN

S Under the reign of Ethelred I I . the upremacy of

- the Anglo Saxons had already passed away . As a people they sank , and left only a part of their

Civilisation and institutions to their successors , the

Danes and Normans . The development of a maritime skill unknown before , of a bold manly spirit of enterprise , and of a political liberty which , by preserving a balance between the freedom of the nobles and of the rest of the people , ensured to

E ngland a powerful and peaceful existence . Danish settlers in E ngland conferred a great beneﬁt on the country , from a political point of View , by the introduction of a numerous class of i n depen dent peasantry . These people formed a striking

- contrast to the oppressed race of Anglo S axons . Turner says The Danes seem to have planted in the colonies they occupied a numerous race of

freemen , and their counties seem to have been well ” peopled . The number of these independent land owners was consequently greatest in the districts w hich were earliest occupied by the Danes , where they naturally sprung up from the Danish Chiefs

parcelling out the soil to their victorious warriors . 90 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

Twenty years after the Norman Conquest there was of a greater number independent landed proprietors ,

not of if , in the strictest sense the word , freeholders ,

a in the districts occupied by the D nes , and under ” D anel a a a n of - g , th n in y other the Anglo Saxon

- parts of England . The smaller Anglo Saxon i agr culturists were frequently serfs , while the Danish

a n d settlers , being conquerors , were mostly freemen , in general proprietors of the soil .

Domesday Book mentions , under the name of

Soch manni of , a numerous Class landowners or

a pe sants in the Danish districts of the north , while in the south they are rarely to be found . They were not freeholders in the present sense of the term .

They stood in a feudal relation to a superior lord , but in such a m anner that the Sochmanni may best be compared with our present “ hereditary ” lessees . Their farm passed by inherita nce to their

sons , they paying certain rents and performing certain feudal duties ; but the feudal lord had no

power to dispose of the property as he pleased . The following is a n abstract of a paper on Tithe

and Tenure in the North , by the Rev . J . H . Colligan

DAN ISH I N FLU EN CE O N LAN D TEN URE

a th e was origina lly a mili ta ry one . In Westmorl nd m a nors were gra nted round severa l grea t ba ro n ies or ” Th a t ta t a t Fees . e b rons held hei r es es in c pi e from

the o t t a t a ta king , up n condi ions h were m inly mili ry ,

h th e a n th e a n t while t e lords of m ors held of b ro s , heir

9 2 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E possible th a t origi na lly they were symbolica l of rea l ren t

a t th e a t a h or service . The tr nsi ion from c u l to t e sym b ol i ca l must h a ve ta ke n pl ace in th e X IVth a n d XV th

n ce turies . We h a ve hi therto been spea king of th e rel a tion ship

t th e a n a n d th e n th e n t a n d th e be ween b ro s mo ks , k igh s

th e a . c to t na n t lords of m nor There is no referen e e s , beca use there was no such thi n g a s a free i n dividua l

n te n ure before th e middle of th e XVIth ce tury . The

- t a t th e a n th e a n a n d soldier en n s clung round b ro y of m or , m their posi tion wa s deﬁned a s te n a ntes a d v ol u n ta te . ’ It wa s o n ly i n Eliza beth s reig n th a t th e dema n ds of th e t na t a n to a a nd th e n u e n s beg be formul ted , u iq e form of ” ” n na n n te ure ca lled te t righ t a ppea red o th e border . It is di fﬁcul t to discover when a n d how th e movemen t

th e a t th e t na t a n b ut i t for freedom on p r of e n s beg , c ta a o a t t th e a t a n d er inly is ss ci ed wi h Reform ion , is seen pl a i n ly i n t hose pl aces where protes ta ntism wa s vigorous . We sh a ll exa mi ne th e grow th of this form of te n ure a s i t a a i n u a n a n In th e n ppe red a C mberl d m or . eighbour hood u n der considera t ion we ﬁ n d three ki n ds of ten a n ts .

A t th e one t th e a ex reme were Drenges , who were prob bly

a s a a t th e t t a t t S xon l ves ; o her were en n s by righ , who were prob a bly eq ua l i n dig n i ty a nd privilege i n th e ea rly d ays to th e lord of th e ma nor himse lf . In Cumbe rl a n d a n d Westmorel a nd tra ces of th e Dre n ga ge t n t ma u n a n d th e B a t eneme s y be fo d , ondg e , Appleby ,

a n t a n n n t a n t is ill us r tio of Dre ga ge dwelli gs . The en s

t a re n i n a n t a re now by righ fou d Cumberl d , where hey

a e n a n d i n t a n t a re c lled y ome , Wes morl d , where hey

n a s ta t n ste a d s me n a nd t a n a k own s esme ( ) , in Nor h L c

to th e t th e t i n the t a shire , where, regre of wri er Vic ori

t t th e a re a a a a . Coun y H is ory , yeomen gr du lly dis ppe ring

. B r n il n n u n t M r J . ow b l sa ys th a t te a t righ t wa s freq e ly POLITICAL FR E EM EN 93 urged al l over Furness a n d Ca rtmel a n d i n Wa rton a nd

n a to th e th e northern border of L a c shire . He refers ’ “ ” pa rtic ul a rs in West s Antiq u i ties of Fur ness . We h a ve not been a ble to a scerta in th e origin of th e

as i t a to t a a b u t on th e tenure pplies Nor h L nc shire , borders i t is the outcome of a n interesti n g a n d unique

I t a u t form of servi ce ca lled Corna ge . t is s ill disp ed f i t to point a s to th e origin o th e word . Some holding ’ from the fa ct th a t th e lord ga ve n otice of th e e nemies a pproa ch by windi n g a horn ; others th at i t was m u ch

a i n i ts o a n d a e th e n a tt e rlier rigin , ris s from hor or c le

- ta x t t a n a s n at or t . , s ill known in Wes morl d e now geld

ta i t a t a t th e t Wh ichever origin be ken , is cle r h , from ime

u a t th e n th e wa s a n of Q een Eliz be h , keepi g of borders

ta t a n d e th e a t t at th e impor n service , is se n from f c h

a t not a n t to ta a ten n could hire o her ke his pl ce .

a to t o e n n as na In reg rd his b rder s rvice , k ow Cor ge , th e lord h a d severa l privileges which i n cl uded w a rdship

n t th e u t wa s 2 1 a a e or co rol over heir , n il he ye rs of g ;

a a a th e t a a n n a m rri ge , which g ve him righ of rr gi g ma rri a ge if th e inheri ta n ce h a d devolved upo n a fem a le ;

‘ a n d wa s th e a t of a ta n s um relief , which p ymen cer i by th e u ta e n of th n n heir pon king poss ssio e i heri ta ce . The “ ” chief privilege which th e te n a n t- b y - righ t posse ssed for his border service wa s th at of devi s i n g his te neme n t

wi l l a u u n t t d a . by , privilege which is m ch prized il his y At th e Res tora tion the Dren ga ge ten u re wa s ra i sed t a a t a n d i t was un t t n u t in o Soc ge enure , der his e re , wi h

’ a t n a a n d t t a na t n of th of Cor ge , some imes wi h combi io

t o t a t t th e t n t th e a n hese f rms , h mos of e emen s of m ors

u e a n n t a n of C mb rl d a d Wes morl d were he ld . These

a a n n t holders c me to be describe d a s custom ry te a s . The

t a t a t t n u th e e o cus om ry en n is dis i g ished from fre h lder ,

a n d th e t a t n ot se of a copyholder , in h he is sei d his l nd 94 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

a s th e a nd not in fee simple , is freeholder , is subject to th e a t of th e a re t a dis bili ies Copyholder , nor his cus om ry

u n a t to th e n t n d es co sidered derog ory obili y of his te ure . The cus tom a ry tena n t is therefore be tween th e free holder a n d th e t a n be we l l n copyholder , wi h um r of deﬁ ed

n privileges . The two mos t impor ta t duties of th e a vera ge tena n t i n Cumbe rl a n d a n d Westmorl a n d were t s a a a n d th e a t n h ho e of w rf re w chi g of t e fores ts . The former depended en tirely upo n th e a tti tude of th e o ther

n e a t a th e a tt wa s a n a n d ki gdoms , esp ci lly Sco l nd ; l er lo g l aborious se rv i oe l a id upo n th e te na nt u n til th e middle

I n a n a n d of the XV th ce ntury . The cou ties of Cumberl d Westmorl a n d were dense fores ts un til lo ng a fter th e

a n t a n d th e t th e a Norm n Co ques , imber for roy l ship

a wa n a n n y rds s grow i n these highl nds of E gl a d . The

t u a a n d th e u a t n n n fores s were f ll of g me , reg l io s in co ec tio n wi th th e preserva tio n of ga me a n d th e upkee p of th e

n forests were most exa cti n g upo th e pe ople .

th e of th e XV Ith t o From middle cen ury , h wever , t e a t a a n d e a n to o s t o hes ncien l ws s rvices beg l e heir f rce , a n d a new set of reg ul a tio n s a rose to mee t th e ne w

n n n t b ut u th e u a t h a d e viro me . Slowly s rely fe d l sys em

a a n d a a n b a a . t ut i t p ssed w y Here here relic rem i ed , wa s impossible to ig nore th e righ ts of men who co u ld no

n n n th e lo n ger be b ough t a d sold wi th a te eme t . From ﬁrs t yea r of th e reig n of Eliz a be th th e border service is

n a n n well deﬁ ned a d the cl ims of th e te a ts be c a me ﬁxed .

a a b e o a t n a s t - e n a Sever l ye rs fore , L rd Wh r o , Depu y G er l o f the s t a u a se u a t n We M rches , drew p ries of reg l io s for

a In a n n t th e pro tec tio n of th t p a rt of th e border . i er e t a t a a ﬁ n d th e me n s ing r icle by M r . Gr h m , we how of

a t n a a t n ou t t t t H y on , e r C rlisle , ur ed every nigh wi h heir

S a a n d a n u on th e a n i n th e pe rs , rem i ed cro ched river b k n It a t a bl a ck da rk ness or the po u ri n g ra i . is ypic l

96 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

a t — ﬁ rs t 160 — 16 2 16 c me hree Andrews , 3 7 ; second , 3 7 1 06 t d 1 66 — 1 2 — a n d i t wa s t t s 7 ; hir , 9 7 4 wi h he e four lords

a a t t th a t th e ten nts c rried on their his orica l dispu e . The dea th of Thom as H u tton took pl a ce some t ime a fter 162 0 a n d wa s th e occa sio n for ra isi n g a number of q uestio n s th a t a gi ta ted th e ma nor for a lmost a ce n tury

a th t t a fterw rds . It ﬂung e combus ible topic of tenure in o a n a tmosphere th a t wa s a lrea dy Ch a rged wi th religious

a t a nd th e i n th e a n o wa s a s nimosi y , ﬁre m or s on ﬁerce

a s th b a - ﬂ a r t a e e con e on heir own Skidd w . The posi tion of th e pa r ties i n th e m anor may b e summed up by saying th a t Joseph H udle ston insis ted

t a t th e t na t t n a t -a t- a n d th e t n a t on h e n s were e n s will , e n s

t a a t na n t t a t ma the o her h nd Cl imed e righ . Wh ever y

a e the n n a i t a t a t h h ve be n origi of cor ge , is cle r h by t e

XV IIth t i t wa s n t t n a t t cen ury sy onymous wi h e n righ .

ta th e t a n t t a t b u t The de ils in dispu e c no here be re ed ,

th e n t a t wa s th a n a ﬁ n ce r l poin e subject of ge er l e . This

ﬁ ne u t a ress ome wa s th e t a n ﬁ ne , freq en ly c lled g , en r ce

h n which t e tena nt p a id to th e lord upon a dmi tta ce . In ’

a i t wa s a two a nt t t . some m nors ye rs re , in o hers hree A n unusua l form in th e m a n or of Hu tto n Joh n wa s a ’ s a re ssome a a a n n n ﬁ ne a even ye rs g , c lled lso ru i g or

’ - h was h a n t tw a n t a t town term . T is t e mou of o ye rs re

n a n th e e n d of every seve ye rs . The con te tion of th e

t a t wa s t a t as t wa s a n n no a en n s , h his ru ing ﬁne , gener l ﬁne wa s due to th e lord of th e ma nor on th e de a th of

t t n h n a n t the previous lord . From his posi io t e te s never

a d a n d t a t t th e w vere , for over seven y ye rs hey fough

n th e a t a u tt n cl a im of th e lord . U po de h of Thom s H o the tena n ts cl a imi n g te na n t righ t refused to pay th e

n a l n t a n n t ge er l ﬁne to Joseph H ud e s to . Af er wr gli g wi h

th e t na t a a s t a a a t e n s for few ye rs , Jo eph brough B ill g ins

t 1 2 n a o t hem in 63 . He s ucceeded in ob ta i ing rep r from POLITICAL FR E EM EN 97 th e l aw B a a a n ta nt lord , ron Trevor, which pl ys impor

n d a a t pa r t in th e ca se u nto the e . He pp ren ly d i s re a th e o t a to a nd g rded p r ion which pplied himself , pressed

na t n th e rem a inder u pon th e ten a nts . The te n s thereupo decided to se n d t hree of their number wi th a peti tion to

a a n d i t wa s to th e at a t . Ch rles I . delivered king Newm rke

o to o t th e a t He rdered his judges lo k in o m ter . The civil wa r h a d a n d co n t was , however , begun , the whole u ry to a bout to be filled wi th smoke a n d fl a me . Nee dless s a th e t a t t th e a a t th e y en n s ook side of P rli men , while o th e ma th e t wa s l rd of nor , firs Andrew , described in th e th e wa r records a s a P a pist in a rms . During civil th e whole county of Cumberl a n d was in a ction . The t ma nor of Hu tton John was m a inly for th e Pa rli a m en .

t a t two th e a Greys oke C s le , only miles from m nor , t a surrendered to th e P a rli a menta ry troops . The ermin tion of th e civil wa r in 1 65 1 was the da te for th e be gin n ing of li tigatio n between th e H udles ton fa mily a n d h a a n h t h a n t t e P rli ment o t e subjec of t e m or . Af e r this was over th e struggle between th e lord a nd the

t n h n n ena nts bega n a ga i . In their distress t e te a nts se t a tt to o a N a worth a t o e le er L rd How rd of C s le, wh s

ta a at Puri n symp thies were well known . This is a fe ure th e a t a t not t t of c se h need be dwelt upon , but wi hou

t ca n co t a which here be no mple e expl na tion of the story .

t wa s a t a a The s ruggle in f c religious one . The occ sion of i t wa s th e entra nce into a Cumbe rl a nd m anor of a a a a a n d th e t n t on L nc shire f mily , consequen rese ment th e a t of th e a n t th e a n a t p r dhere s of m or , who bo s ed th a t “ t h ” hey ad been there a fore th e H udles tons . The mot ives which promp ted ea ch pa rty were those expressed

th e ta o a t a 1 668 was a in words Puri n . P pis . The ye r

a t h t t a t memor ble one in th e his ory of t e dispu e . In h yea r th e tena nts bro ught a B ill of compl a in-t a ga inst th e

H 98 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

a t a . a t t h e e lord C rlisle Assizes The judge , op ning of

h t e a t a t th e ff t e cour , d cl red h di erences could be com h pou n ded by some gentlemen of t h e county . All t e

a t a a n d th e t a a n p r ies greed , cour m de order whereby Sir

u a K t . a n d a t . a n d n t Philip M sgr ve , B r , Sir Joh Low her ,

h a z I s t . B a t . to tt t e e r , were se le c se before S ptember I f they could not determine wi thi n th a t tim e they were to

a n t n e t a select umpire wi hi one we k , who mus m ke his

- a i r a a n d a wa rd before L a dy d y . S Philip Musgr ve Sir Joh n Low ther a ccep ted th e respo nsibility pl a ced upo n them by th e court a n d took grea t p a ins to a ccommod a te th e f n b u t n t e na to n dif ere ces , ﬁ ding hems lves u ble fur ish th e a wa rd wi thin th e time S peciﬁed they elected Sir B t a t . to . e George Fle cher , r , be umpire Si r G orge

t a a a on a rd 1 668 . Fle cher m de his w rd M rch 3 , The

a o t tt S n a n d a t origin l d cumen , wri en , ig ed se led wi h his I tt own a . ts ta h nd , is here before us ered edges prove t a t i t h as to eo h been frequently referred . Sir G rge ’ Fletcher s a wa rd wa s on th e whole in fa vo u r of th e t n a t a n d e a th e t th e n a e n s , esp ci lly on subjec of ge er l ﬁne , which he decl a red wa s not p aya ble on th e dea th of th e

t ta n t a tt d a t t n lord . O her impor m ers were e l wi h , i clud ’ t ta t th e ua on th e ing herio s , widows es es , use of q rries t n n t th e t th e t t t t e eme s , use of imber , mill ren , og e her wi h

h n a n h t a t t e subjec t of b oo s d se rvice s . All t e en n s a c i n th e a a a n d th e a th e a a cquies ed w rd , lord p id d m ges

a h n a n t for fa l se imprisonmen t to sever l of t e te s .

th e a 16 2 n H udleston th e t In ye r 7 A drew ﬁrs died , a nd th e e n 16 — 1 06 to th e Andrew s co d , 3 7 7 , succeeded

a t a to a . lordship . He immedi ely be g n encro ch He dem anded th e genera l ﬁ ne in a ddi tio n to re n ts a n d

e t a to th e a a . t t s rvices , con r ry w rd The s ruggle herefore

out a a s c as a n d t a t broke fresh ﬁer ely ever , bo h p r ies Th e a tt re turned to th e old subject of tenure . m er

TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

This h a d been regul a rly pa id to th e Rector of Greystok e

a th e ta t h a d from time immemori l . Even Puri n rec ors

c t t t to t a t a t ta a re eived his i he down h gre Puri n , Rich rd

n wh o wa s t th e t t Gilpi , ejec ed from Rec ory of Greys oke

1 1 t i n t wa s n o in 66 . The poin dispu e t a delib era te re f usa l th e t t i t wa s a a at n th e a of i he , decl r io of p rish

i n rs t a t h mea s u re wa s a n u t Th n t t o e h t e njus one . e co es wa s a a n d c rried on by John Noble , of Penruddock ,

o a n th e t a th e o t n Th s . P rso s , s ew rd of C un ess of Aru del a n d u a th e a t S rrey , L dy of B rony of Greys oke . Asso ci ated t a s wa s o a a n t a n d wi h P r ons J hn Robson , serv

t h t a o n a n d so a proc or of t e rec or . P rs s Rob n were f rmers

th e t t th e a s h a d th e c n t th e of i he , but c e full o sen of

h D D . t t e . a a o . rec or , Rev All n Sm llwo d , The immedi a te ca use of th e dispute was th e q uestio n

h t a I n h t n t of t e cus om ry mea sure . t res ul ted i t e se t leme of a vex a tious subject which wa s a s to th e S ize of a

h t n f b u s el . The m a ter was o e o conten tio n throughou t th e co un try u ntil s ta nda rd weigh ts a n d mea sures were

n In recog i se d a nd a dopted . Cumberl a n d th e mos t a c u te

r wa s o th e u t th e n u fo m up n s bjec of cor b shel . The

a t n a n t t f u t to u a n d devi io s in qu i y were di ﬁc l s ppress ,

a l a w a n t a tt a re o n In sever l c ses upo his m er record . th e P a rish of Greystoke th e ca se wa s ﬁrst be g un i n

1 6 2 u a u h a d a a a e 7 . The b shel me s re been gr du lly incre s d

t e a n a t th e a n from six e n g llo s , which moun p rish io ers

a a n d a t o a u n t i t a cknowledged were prep red p y , il re ched

n t - tw a l l ons ca s a s h e a twe y o g . The e p s ed through t ssizes

t n t a t a a n a t a n d of hree cou ies , being held C rlisle , L c s er

a n d a t th e a n wa s Appleby , verdic for p rishio ers even

t l l n ua y give .

n t a a rt t n t n t a The docume s , p from heir i ri sic wor h , h ve

t u a n n a a t a t t S e t u n h s i estim ble v lue , in h hey h d ligh po a n d give i n forma tion i n rega rd to the doi n gs in a POLITICAL FR E EM EN 1 0 1

C u mberl a nd m anor where hitherto there h a s b een b ut a a nd ce a s f ar a s ec d of o d rkness silen , the r or s the pe ple

c a r were oncerned . We e a ble now to follow wi th interest a n d satisfa ction a story th at is equa l in coura ge a n d persistence wi th the best tra ditions of English love of

t a n a jus ice d f ir pl ay .

The documents in this case were numerous but s mall , and were in many cases letters and scraps of paper . As a piece of local history it is not to be compared with the tenure case , but it contains v a luable items of parish life in the XV IIth century . Perhaps the best of the letters are those from Sir

- John Otway , the well known lawyer . John Noble the yeoman has several letters full of ﬁne touches . The depositions of the witnesses at Cockermouth in ’ 1 6 2 7 are picturesque . The lawyers bills , of which

are . there many , are not so illuminating There are several letters of Henry Johnes of Lancaster , who was M ayor of that town on two occ a sions . Public men regard it as a great honour to represent

a the northern districts of England in P rliament , merely from the intelligent political chara cter of the voters ; and it was certa inly through the adherence of the love of freedom in the north that Cobden and Bright were able to struggl e so successfully for the promotion of Free Trade a n d for ﬁnanci a l reform .

Sir E Bulwer Lytton , the great English writer, says : Those portions of the kingdom originally peopled by the Danes are noted f or their intolerance 1 02 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E of of all oppression , and their resolute independence to Character , wit , Yorkshire , Lancashire , Norfolk , and Cumberland , and large districts in the Scottish lowlands . Memori a ls of the Danes are mixed up with

’ Engl and s freest and most libera l institutions ; an d to the present day the pl a ce where the c andid ate f or a se at in Parliament addressed the electors bears throughout England the pure Danish n a me of the

a Husting When William I . beg n to conquer

a n d to a out a a England , p rcel it mong his w rriors , it wa s the ol d Danish inhabitants wh o opposed him ; wh o a would have j oined him , their kinsm n the

a a out on e of Norman , especi lly as he g ve it that their obj ects in coming to England was to avenge the D a nes an d Norwegians wh o were m a ssacred by

a at Ethelred , but the Norm ns aimed nothing less th a n the abolition of the free tenure of estates a n d the complete establishment of a feudal constitution .

of wa s This mode proceeding resented , which would rob the previously independent man of his right to

a n d a to house l nd , and by transferring it the power ful nobles shook the foundation of freedom . The

a n d n o Danes turned from them in disgust , longer hesitated to j oin the equ a lly oppressed Anglo

Saxons . The Normans were obliged to build

f or of of strong fortiﬁcations , fear the people

a a a wh o a Sc ndin vi n descent , bounded both in the

a towns and rura l districts . Wh t the Norma ns chieﬂy

a a wh o apprehended was ttacks from the D nes , there

1 04 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

1 greater . In Oxfordshire 4 per cent . were slaves ,

1 in Worcester , Bucks , Somerset and Wiltshire 5 per

a 1 6 cent . , in Dorset and H mpshire per cent . , in

1 . 1 8 . Shropshire 7 per cent , in Devonshire per cent ,

2 1 . an d in Cornwall per cent , in Gloucestershire

on e - 2 . of 4 per cent , or almost fourth the whole

popul ation . These records were not made by

a ﬁ D nish surveyors , but Norman of cials , and explode the theory of historians like Green wh o assert th at

the English settlers were Communities of free men . These conditions of tenure were introduced by the

Danes , and became so ﬁrmly established that the n a mes given to such freeholders as statesmen in

a Cumberl nd , freemen and yeomen in

Yorkshire , Westmorland and North Lancashire still

a exist t the present day .

a of f or As we h ve seen , records struggles tenant rights h ave come to light in recent ye ars which prove th at feud a l conditions were imposed by successive

a a n d a n d l ndlords , were resisted both before after

a the Com monwe lth .

N AN D E I VA SION S TTLEMENT .

The Norse settlement at the mouth of the Dee

a a 00 In imun d wh o d ted from the ye r 9 when g , had

wa s a been expelled from Dublin , given cert in waste

a a A e th el ﬂ a e d a of l nds ne r Chester , by , L dy the of Merci ans . This colony extended from the shore

a a to an d F lint , over the Wirr l peninsul the Mersey , P OLITICAL FR E EM EN 1 9 5 it is recorded in Domesday by the name of their

Thingwall or Ti ngv el l a . Along with the group of

a Norse n mes in the Wirral is Thurstaston , or

- - Th orstun . Thors Stone , or tun This natural formation of red sandstone has been sometimes mistaken for a Ti ngmount or Norse monument . Several monuments of the tenth century Norse colony are to be found in the district , such as the

Hogback Stone in West Kirby Museum , and the

- g ravestone bearing the wheel shaped head . A

Hi lb re similar monument was found on Island , and other rema ins of cross slabs occur at Neston and

Bromborough . The Norse place - names of Wirral prove tha t t hese lands were waste and unoccupied , when names of Danish origin were given , such as Helsby ,

rankb . F y, Whitby, Raby , Irby , Greasby and Pensby Some Wirral names are composed of Celtic and

ae Norse , as the settlers brought both G lic and Norse

a n mes from Ireland . These are found in the Norse Runes in the Isle of M an and north of

Lancaster .

‘ Socmen were m a norial tenants who were free in

status , though their land was not held by charter ,

like that of a freeholder , but was secured to them

by custom . They paid a ﬁxed rent for the virgate , or of part a virgate , which they generally held ; and ,

a a s t king the Peterborough Socmen examples , they

were bound to render farm produce , such as fowls a n d eggs , at stated seasons ; to lend their plough 1 06 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E teams thrice in winter and spring ; to mow and carry

o do hay ; t thresh and harrow , and other farm work f or one day and to help at the harvest f or one or two days . Their services contrasted with the we ek - work of v i l l ei n were a , little more than nominal and are comparable to those of the Ra dman n i . The Peterborough socmen re appear under the

Mi l itum of Descriptio the abbey , where it is said “ ” cum mi l itib us a a to they were served , but this ppe rs ” be exception a l . Socmen were like liber tenentes

t o a . frequently liable merchet , heriot and tall ge

was of Their tenure the origin free socage , common

a n d n ow a in the thirteenth century , the prev iling f tenure o land in England . Socmen held land by a

ﬁxed money payment , and by a ﬁxed though trivial a mount of base service which would seem to ” ultimately disappear by commutation . All socmen as customary ten a nts required the intervention of the steward of the m anor in the transfer or s a le of

“ ’ their rights . ( Pa lgra ve s Dictionary of Politica l ” E conomy , p .

M ere/zet al . Of all the manori exactions the ” Merch etum most odious was the , a ﬁne paid by

a on a t the vill in giving his d ugh er in m a rri a ge . It wa s

a s a a of e e a n d th e ma n considered m rk s rvil descent , free by blood was supposed to be always exempted from it , however debased his position was in every other respect .

a of In the st tus socmen , developed from the law of S axon freemen there was usually nothing of the

Hu sb andry

1 1 2 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

comparison with the worst form of our plough in the neglected districts of Engl a nd . We owe both the fra mework and the origin of the modern plough to the Northerners . We meet with the word in the ol d ” Norse pl ogr. In Swedish it is plog while in ” a a s l ov a n d l ou D nish it occurs both p p g , as in

English , and it was in all probability introduced by that people during the eleventh century , at the latter

a of p rt their dynasty within the isl a nd . There is no root either in the Teutonic or Sca ndinavian tongues from which it is deducible . The British n ame f or “ was ara dr of their plough , their mode pronouncing

aratum f or the Latin , the word the Roman plough . The sort of agriculture which was known in the very early times must have been extremely simple , if we are to j udge it by the terms which have

a u re ched o r times .

U l hi l as a of a p , in his tr nslation the Greek Test ment construes the word f or plough with the Gothic ” ”

h Oh a of our h oe . word , the origin modern term We ma y therefore surmise that in these primitive times natives hoed the ground f or their crops f or wa nt of better implements to turn up the soil .

owe to a f or While we the Norse the n me plough , we are also indebted to them f or the term “ ” a husbandry . Among the Scandin vians , the

f or a common name the pe santry was bondi , the “ ” of or abstract form buondi , dwelling in , inhabiting a country . As intercourse with more civilised nations began to Civilise the inhabitants of these northern H USBAN DRY 1 13

a climes , cert in favoured bondi had houses

assigned to them , with plots of ground adj oining

for the use of their families . As the culture of such private plots was distinct from the common culture

of other land , the person so favoured , separated

from the general herd , obtained the name of “ h u sb on di a n d , the culture of their grounds

u b r a h s on d i . When such f milies obtained settle ments in England , they brought over with them the habits a n d n ames of the North ; and from mingling

- a with the Anglo Saxon n tives , with whom adj uncts to introduced terms and titles were common , the “ ” sufﬁx of man was a pplied to the name of “ h u sb on di , who thus became husbandmen , a term still kept up in the northern counties for

a l bourers on farms , who are styled husbandmen to this day . N a mes from trades and handicrafts were given to persons employed therein both by Danes and

- Anglo S axons . Such names keep up their di sti nc tion to the present day . The genera l name of ” arti z an s of every kind was Smith . Simple Smiths

are . are Anglo Norse Millars ,

a - from the tr de of millers , are Anglo Saxon . ” ” Milners for the same reason are Norse . U lls ,

- Woolley is Anglo Saxon , Woolner is Norse ; F ullers and Towers are Anglo - Saxon ; ” Ki l n ers and Gardners , Norse . Some names ” ” fﬁ a s C derived from o ces Gotts from opr , a

h a d a a priest , or one who Charge of hof , or he then 1 1 4 TH E DAN ES I N LAN CAS H I R E

a temple in the north . Goods comes from Gop , “ ” a n d barge from b argr. As further instances we may notice the n ames of to buildings . a building , shows

to a s it be Norse , in Newbiggin and Dears

” of biggin . Such buildings were built timber , and h a d an opening f or the door and an eyelet f or a

wa s window . In the Norse this opening called ” v i n d an a or wi n de e g , y , which term we have ” a our . dopted , and modernised it into word window We have also Chosen several Norse names f or our “ ” a domesticated a nim a ls . Bull we h ve formed “ ” ”

. or from the Norse bole Gommer , Gimmer

a f or we retain in the northern di lect ewe lamb , from ” ” m f or Gi b er. the Norse Stegg , the name a

a . g nder , is in Norse Stegger I n the north nick

a h a d names were gener l , and every man his nick

a a a a n me , p rticularly if there was aught rem rk ble in his appe arance or ch ara cter . Some obtained such “ a a s n mes from their complexions , the Greys ,

“ ” “ ” “ ” “

a . Whites , B l cks , Browns , Blakes Short a n d dwarﬁsh persons took the nicknames of ” ”

a a . Stutts , now d ys called Stotts Before

a a e Christi nity found its way mong the natives , som

a a a s ma a bore f nciful n mes , y be inst nced in ” n w o . to Bj orn , a bear , Burns Preﬁxes such “ a a a a s Ashb orn f nciful n mes were lso common , in j ,

of Osi r or the bear the gods , in modern times spelt “ ” ” a n d a of Ashburns ; Thorbj orn , the be r Thor ,

whence came Thornber and Thorburn . Th e

1 16 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

expect to meet with this word , in the Lowland

wa s a Scotch , where the Norse inﬂuence gre ter , the “ ” “ ” - a a or l ea people use the Anglo S xon ili y ,

a while in the gener l English , where the inﬂuence

a of the Northmen was less , we have dopted the ” to of Norse word same , the exclusion the word

to our we might expect consider as own . M a ny a

do owe N orsmen good word we to the , whatever we may think about their deeds . Stone Cro sse s

1 2 0 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

a of God . a ssistance Almighty At a l ter period , n o a a a t prob bly e rlier than the tenth century ,

a a to Sc ndin vian inﬂuence shows itself , and a very appreciable extent modiﬁes the ornamentation of these monuments . It went even further, and

a a of produced represent tion subj ects , which ,

a a a however strange it may ppe r , are only expl ined by a reference to the mythology of th a t p art of f . a to on a o E urope The gr ve covers , which , ccount

a h o - a their sh pe , the name of g b cked stones has been

to a applied , appear have occurred very r rely beyond of the counties Cumberland , Durham , York , and

a n ot of L ncaster , though some quite the ordinary

a f or type h ve been found in Scotland , as , instance ,

a t on . Govan , the Clyde , near Glasgow They

a developed ultimately , through transitional form , into the coped stone with a representation of a

’ of of a covering tiles , the roof m n s last home , and were a common grave cover of the twelfth century .

STON E CROSSES .

In pre - Reform ation times there wa s sc arcely a village or h a mlet in Engl a nd which h a d not its

a one . cross ; many parishes , indeed , had more th n We know that a t Liverpool there were the High

’

a n d . Cross , the White Cross , St . Patrick s Cross While m any of these crosses are of undoubted

a a of S xon origin , others bear distinct tr ces Scandi navian mythology .

STON E CROSS ES 1 2 1

N ORTH LANCA SHIRE RELIC S .

a a a a In the churchy rd of Halton , ne r L nc ster , is

1 6 the shaft of an ancient cross . In 3 5 the upper part was removed by the rector, in order that the portion remaining might be converted into a sundial .

a two On the e st side are panels , one showing two

a hum n figures , in a sitting posture , engaged in washing the feet of a seated figure ; the other showing two figures on either side of a tall cross . This is the Christian side of a cross erected at a time of tra nsition . On the west side is a smith at work with a p a ir of bellows . He is forging a large pair of i . s pincers , as he sits on a chair Below the chair

man a a . the bust of a , or co t of mail Above him is a sword of heavy type , also a second hammer , a

a n d second pair of pincers , a human body , with a ” ﬁgure of eight knot , intertwined in a Circle , in

at e place of a head , and an obj ect his feet repr senting

a - the he d . The half panel above has reference to

some event in the Sagas .

a a At Heysham . ne r L ncaster , also in the Church

a - yard , is an example of hog backed stone , a solid

mass six feet long and two feet thick , laid over some

. a a ancient grave On the stone is st g , with broad

n ot horns , and as it is a reindeer it is said to be a

a f rude represent tion o an elk . The scene on this side of the stone depicts an animal hunt The termination at e a ch end is a rude qu a druped on its

a - hind qu rters . A fragment of a beautifully sculp 1 2 2 TH E DAN ES I N LAN CAS H I R E

of ture d cross is still remaining , evidently part a cross which ﬁtted into the socket of the stone . ’ wa s a of . a In the churchy rd St M ary s , L ncaster , a

ﬁne cross with a Runic inscription , meaning Pray ” f or C n eb a l d son of . y , Cuthbert This cross has been removed to the British Museum .

OTHER ANCIENT REMAIN S .

At Whalley are three ﬁne specimens of reputed

Saxon crosses . Tradition says they commemorate the preaching of Paulinus in 62 5 . Although they have no remaining inscriptions , their obelisk form and ornaments of fretwork were used in common by

a . the Norwegians , Saxons , and D nes In Winwick Churchyard is a gre at fragment of a

a two . crosshe d , consisting of the boss and arms On the arms are a man with two buckets an d a man being held head downwards by two ferocious - looking

a n d are men , who have a saw beneath them , either sawing him a sunder or are preparing to saw off his

. to a f or arms This evidently relates Osw ld , he was

of a a n d dismembered by order Pemb , the buckets might refer to the miracle - working well which spra ng up where his body fell .

a a At Upton , Birkenhe d , is sculptured stone

a bearing a Runic inscription . Dr . Browne t kes the inscription to mean ° The people ra ised a

a a f memori l Pr y or Aeth e l mun d . At West Kirby is a nearly complete ex a mple of a h o - a g b cked stone . The lower p a rt is covered on

1 2 4 TH E DAN ES I N LAN CASH I R E

a a of w s the only langu ge the rulers , and used at

a n d ol d Thing Hall , resembling in this Norman b arons and their counts in King William the

’ Conqueror s time . The spirit of the Norsemen lives in the lega l

of a constitution the Government , an inheritance th t produced a free Parliament , and particularly in its

- a a . sea of pl ce n mes The fringe , with its hundreds

a n d a Norse rocks , creeks , and forelands , c ves , have left imperish able evidence of the mighty ol d sea

a an d f rers , the track they took , the commingling and

an d fusion they underwent in blood and speech , their voyages from the Shetl ands and Western Isles .

N SOME H U MA REMAIN S .

a - on - a Cl ughton Brock , ne r Preston , is named

Cl a ctun e in Domesd ay Book . The D a nes h ave a lso left relics of their presence and inﬂuence as they h ave done a l l over the Fylde district . The

a a a a of a l te Monsignor Gr dwell , gre t student loc l nomencl ature and a L a ncashire historian of con siderab l e a repute , wrote In Claughton the Rom n

a a Si xacre . ro d crosses the F leet , small brook in the About seventy years ago a barrow wa s found on the

of a a a of west the New L ne , bout half mile south the street . In it were found a n e arthenware urn

a of a a cont ining the burnt remains hum n body , with

h ea ds some delicately wrought silver brooches , some

a a . of and rms , a d gger and a sword The brooch fretwork wa s precisely simil ar to many a ncient H a mm e r .

B rooch .

C a t o . Fibul a of W hit e Met a l from l ug h n

STON E C ROSS ES 1 2 5

D a nish brooches still preserved in the Copenhagen

an d Museum , this proves that the Claughton deposit

a was also Danish . That the D nes were strong in Claughton and in the neighbourhood is proved by

a a . the many D nish n mes Thus , we have Dandy

a Stirz acre a a Birk , or D nes Hill ; , and B rn cre , ’ respectively Stirs land and Bi orn s land . The Danish relics were carefully deposited at Claughton

Hall by the ﬁnder , Mr . Thomas Fitzherbert

Brockholes .

THE R HALTON C O S S . Now what is to be said about the subj ects carved p on these crosses and about the date of the work

and One of the subj ects is most remarkable , gives a special interest to this cross ; for here on the west

’ face a n d north we have the story of Sigurd F af ni r s

a b ne ; here is his sword and the forging of it , his horse Grani , which bore away the treasure ; the ’ roa sting of the dragon s heart ; the listening to the voice of the birds , and the killing of Regin the smith . The story so far as it relates to our subj ect is this We all know that the love of money is the root of a f n i r all evil . Now there were two brothers , F a n d . a f ni r Regin F held all the wealth , and became a a huge monster dragon , keeping w tch over his

- underground treasure house Regin , his brother , ’ h a d a l l a . skill in smith s work , but no cour ge He it was who forged the sword wherewith the hero Sigurd went forth to kill the dragon and t ake the 1 2 6 TH E DAN ES I N LAN CAS H I R E

of treasure . This he did with the help his wonderful

wh o a of a horse Grani , , when the he vy boxes tre sure

a on a n ot were pl ced his b ck , would move until his

a h a d off m ster mounted , but then went merrily

a enough . This story , Anglicised and Christi nised ,

of our a . is the story English p tron saint St George , the horse rider a n d the dragon sl a yer . Here is the story written in stone . We know the a ncient belief that the strength of every enemy sl ain p a sses into the body of the conqueror .

- I LLU STRATION OF H OG BACK STONE .

The stone is perh aps more tha n a thousand years

ol d a . , and has been a good deal knocked bout It wa s once the tomb of a great Christian Briton or

a n d ou Englishman , before the Norman Conquest ; y may still see four other h og - b acked S axon

a a unc rved tombstones in Lowther Churchy rd , m arking the graves of the noble of th at day . When

was our was a stone church built , sculptured shrine

a of a n d of built into the w lls the Church , some the

a o a mort r still sticks t the red s ndstone . When this ol d church wa s pulled down to give pl a ce to a new on e this same stone , covered with lime and unsightly , wa s left lying about . You will see something twisted a n d coiled along the bottom of each drawing bene ath

a n d ou a the ﬁgures , y will see some str nge designs (they are s a cred symbols used long ago) on either side of on e of the heads in the lower picture ; but

1 2 8 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

a a one its place was prepared , great hall and bad ;

doors looked northward . It was altogether wrought

’ a of of adders backs wattled together , and the he ds

a n d so a the adder all turned inwards , spit venom , th t

of ran a a n d rivers venom long the hall , in those

rivers the wicked people must wa de f or ever . The Christian wished to Show th at this terrible

’ idea of man s future state wa s to ﬁre away to some

of our thing better through the Lord Life , Lord

an d s o Jesus Christ , they set up crosses and carried of triquetra , the Sign the ever blessed Trinity , on their sculptured tombs to teach the people to

n o of believe longer in gods and goddesses darkness ,

to one Son but to look God , the F ather , and Holy to Spirit , drive away all evil spirits from their hearts , a n d to give them a quiet time and a perfect end .

Wa s a n a a there y wonder that ye rs afterw rds , when the bright light shone forth from the Cross to

of a a disperse the dark clouds pag nism , th t men said

a K enti ern th t holy men , such as Patrick , g and Cuthbert h a d driven all poisonous snakes out of the l a nd ? The twisted and coiling thing beneath the

no of ﬁgures is doubt the ol d serpent . The Cross Christ and the a sh tree Yggdra sil of the northern tribes bore a like me a ning a t a cert ain time to the

on a . mixed peoples this co st ( W . S . Collingwood . )

- N ANGLO DA I SH M ONU MENT S .

The gre a t variety of orn ament found in the North Riding Monuments shows that in four STON E CROSS ES 1 2 9

centuries many inﬂuences were brought to bear ’ upon the sculptors art , and much curious develop

ment went on , of which we may in the future

understand the cause .

Our early sculptors , like the early painters , were

men trying hard to express their ideals , which we have to understand before we can appreciate their

work . The Anglian people included writers and

thinkers like Bede and Alcuin , and that their two centuries of independence in the country of which

the North Riding was the centre and heart , were two centuries of a Civilization which ranked high in

the world of that age . The Danish invasion , so

lamentable in its earlier years , brought fresh blood

and new energies in its train , and up to the Norman Conquest this part of England was rich and

ﬂourishing .

In writing the history of its art , part of the material will be found in these monuments . The material of which these sculptures are made is usually of local stone . They were carved on the spot and not imported ready made . In the progress of Anglian art we have the development which began with an impulse coming

from the north , and ending with inﬂuence coming

from the south . The monuments were possibly executed by Anglian sculptors under the control of Danish

Conquerors . Even under the early heathen rule

of the Danes , Christians worked and lived , and as 1 3 0 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E each succeeding colony of D a nes became Christian to ised , they required gravestones , and Churches be c arved f or them .

a of F ollowing generation transition , at the end of are the ninth century , monuments found display ing D anish taste . The Close connection of the

f or York kingdom with Dublin , provides a reason the Irish inﬂuence . Abundant evidence is found in

a n d a the Chain pattern , ring patterns , the dr gons ,

wh ee lh ea d s b a ck e d n ot and , which are and ﬁnished into a rounded surface by Chiselling . The Brompton hogbacks are among the ﬁnest works of this period .

a W f The St inton bear , and the ycli fe bear , are also of this period .

The Pickhill hogb a ck h a s an Irish - Scan dav i an

a a n d to dr gon , other dragons are be seen at Gilling ,

a a a n d Crathorne , E sington , Levish m , Sinnington ,

Pickering .

New inﬂuences c ame from the Midlands into

a of - Yorkshire , after the f ll the Dublin York of a 0 . kingdom , about the ye r 9 5 One instance

’ this a dvance in the sculptor s art is to be seen in

a the round shaft , trimmed squ re above , at Gilling ,

Stanwick , and Middleton , which came from Mercia ,

a on a to and p ssed into Cumberl nd , where it is be

a found at Penrith and Gosforth . These latter h ve

a E dda subj ects a n d appe r to be late tenth century .

Gilling has a curious device , which may possibly

B a a n d S of th e O C se ide rmside up . STON E CROSS ES 13 1

e V Ol un d a b the wing wheel , and volund ppears on the Leeds cross , and also at Neston in Cheshire .

a a The Scandinavi n Ch in pattern , frequent on the s ton es of the North Riding , and in Cumberland , is e ntirely absent in m anuscripts . There must have

at been books Lastingham , Hackness , Gilling , and o a — ther gre t monasteries , but the stone carvers did n ot copy them .

h a s The Ormside cup , on the other hand , Close a nalogies with the two important monuments at

an d th e Croft Northallerton , which seem to be l al eading examples of the ﬁnest style , from which t h e n ot a rest evolve , without inﬂuence from abro d

I at successive periods . t is to relief work rather t han to manuscripts that we must look for the i nspiration of the sculptors . In these monuments linked together we can trace the continu ation of the Viking age style during the later half of the tenth century and the early p art of ’ t h e eleventh centuries . The stone carver s art was r eviving , stones were becoming more massive , which

a me ns that they were more skilfully quarried , the

an d cutting is more close varied , and on its terms the design is more decorative and artistic , though still preserving its northern Character among im

pulses and inﬂuences from the south . But there is n o room here for the Bewcastle cross or the

H ovingham stone . We have an example of this ’ period s attempt to imitate . It is probable that the stone carving was a 1 3 2 TH E DAN ES I N LANCASH I R E

’ traditional business , began by St . Wilfrid s , and

’ on Benedict Bishop s imported masons , and carried in a more or less independent development a s it

- is to day . With the Danish invasion began a period of new inﬂuences which were not shaken off until a fter the

Norman Conquest . The interlaced work was abandoned in the tenth century by southern sculptors , remained the national

of . art the north The Manx , Irish , and Scotch kept

a so it long fter the eleventh century , and did the

Sca ndinavians . The Bewcastle cross in the Gigurd Sh a ft of the

at a cross Halton in L ncashire , and if this develop ment h a s been rightly described the H a lton shaft

a is e sily understood . In the period covered by the eleventh century dials inscribed with Anglo - Danish names date them selves . Interlacing undergoes new development ,

an d a becoming more open angul r , until we get right

a cut a s lined pl its like Wensley , it is better , the l ater p art of the century introduces the m asons wh o

a rebuilt the churches and beg n the abbeys . No

wa s a a longer the work h cked but Cle n Chiselled , and intermingled with new grotesques ; we ﬁnd it a t

an d a t Hackness , in the impost , in the fonts Alne

are a a era of and Bowes , where we lre dy past the the

Norman Conquest . Anglian work of the simpler forms and earlier

a 00 A D types d te 7 . .

1 34 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

of apparently late , all the preceding being the ﬁne style .

a a n a Levisham slab h s Irish Sc ndinavian dragon .

a Grave sl bs are found of all periods and styles . Shrine - shaped tombs are known in various p arts of

- a t orna ma nt . . Engl nd , wi h pre Viking (W . S

Collingwood) . Ru ne s

13 8 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

- that of the Anglo Saxons . The Runes gradually

out a died as Christi nity spread , and the Roman a lph abet was introduced in the pl a ce of the ol d

a Germ anic letters . The Runes appear to h ve served less a s a mode of writing th a n as a help to

a to a memory , and were princip lly used note down

of to a n d train thought , preserve wise sayings

a n d a of prophecies , the remembr nce particular deeds a n d memorable occurrences . Tacitus informs us that it wa s the custom to cut

a n d beech twigs into small pieces , then throw them on a h a d a out Cloth , which been previously spre d f or a n d a a to a the purpose , fterw rds re d future events by me a ns of the signs accidenta lly formed f by the bits o wood as they lay in the Cloth . In his c at a logue of Runic inscriptions found on “ ’ a K ermode a a of M nx crosses , s ys th t the sculptors

a f a a n mes which a ppe ar a l l are Norse . Out o tot l of - a to forty four n mes , whom these crosses were

- two a re of of erected , thirty those men , eight women ,

a n d are a . a four nickn mes O f men , nineteen n mes are one Norse , nine Celtic , three doubtful , and ” Pictish . This proves the predomin a nce of Norse and D a nish Chiefs to whom these monuments were erected . Runes a re simply the Chara cters in which

are a a to these inscriptions c rved , and h ve nothing d o l a n ua e wh i ch a with the g g , in the M nx inscriptions

a 1 2 is Sc ndin avian of the th Century . To spe ak of a stone which be ars a n inscription

' in Runes as a Runic stone is a s though we should R U N ES 1 3 9

ca ll a modern tombstone a Roman stone because

the inscription is c arved in Roman capitals . C a non

a of Taylor tr ces the origin Runes to a Greek source ,

a or a n mely , the Thracian second Ionian alph bet , of which , through the intercourse the Greek colonists at the mouth of the Danube with the Goths south

wa s a of the Baltic , introduced in modiﬁed form

h a d into Northern Europe , and become established ” a s a Runic Futhork as early as the Christi an

era . The main stages of development are classiﬁed

a by C non Taylor as the Gothic , the Anglican , and

the Sca ndinavian . The Rune consists of a stem with the twigs or

a letters f lling from left or right . This is the most

a f or common form to be found , llowing difference

of workmanship , of material , and space . The progress in the development of the Rune may be

a observed from the most simple pl it or twist , to the

most complex and beautiful geometric , and to the

zoomorphic . The latter h a s the striking features

a of birds and be sts of the chase , and also of men , many being realistic ; and except the latter are well

drawn . The forms of the men are sometimes found to with heads of birds or wings . In addition decorative work we ﬁnd on three of the cross slabs

a illustrations from the ol d Norse saga s . On large cross at Bra ddan is a representation of D a niel in ’ on a a the lion s den ; and at Bride , a sl b , is a medi eval of of carving the fall Adam , in which the serpent is absent Both P aga n a n d Christi an emblems 1 40 TH E DAN ES IN LANCAS H I R E

derive their ornamentation from the same source , ” basket work . Long after the introduction of Christianity we ﬁnd the Pagan symbols mixed up in strange devices on a the s me stones , which were erected as Christian ” of monuments . In the Lady the Lake , Sir Walter Scott gives an account of the famous ﬁery cross formed of twigs .

t t n a The grisly pries , wi h murmuri g pr yer ,

n t a t a A sle der crossle fr med wi h c re , ’ A cubi t s length i n me asure due ;

The sh a ft a n d limbs were rods of yew .

t The cross , hus formed , he held on high , ” Wi th wa s ted h and a n d h a gga rd eye .

Basketmaking is the parent of all modern textile

so of art , and no other industry is independent tools . It is the humble parent of the modern of production the loom , and the most elaborate cloth is but the development of the simple wa ttle work of

a rude savages . P laiting rushes is still the e rliest of of amusement children , the patterns which are sometimes identica l with the designs engraved by our a e rliest a ncestors on their sculptured stones . Interl aced ornament is to be met with on a ncient stones and crosses all over our isl a nds . Ancient pottery also shows th at the earliest form of

a orn ment was taken from basket designs . The Lough Derg pilgrim sought a cross made

r a of of inte woven twigs , st nding upon a heap

1 42 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E wa s more difﬁcult f or the l aity th a n it h a d been in

P aga n times . I n those days the ﬁxed holidays could be easily

a remembered . An ordin ry man without knowing h ow to re a d or write could keep a list of them by cutting m a rks or notches on strips of wood .

of a The successors these are c lled Messe , and

a Prim Staves . The Messe st ves are the more

— M es s e - d a e a da simple g me ns M ass y , and the stave only denoted such d ays . The Prim stave contained besides the m arks f or Sund ays and the

’ a moon s Ch ange s . Hence their n a me from Prim

a or a . Lun , ﬁrst full moon fter the equinox The

- Messe daeg staves are frequently met with . They consist generally of ﬂat pieces of wood about a yard or a n two a a n ell long , inches wide , and h lf inch

a thick , and h ve frequently a handle , giving them the a a a ppe rance of a wooden sword . The ﬂ t Side is divided into two unequ a l portions by a line running

a . a a are lengthw ys In the narrow p rt , the d ys

a a on a notched at equal distances , h lf the ye r e ch

or 1 8 2 on on e a n d 1 8 on side , marks side 3 the other . In the wider space an d connected with the d ays are the signs f or those which are to be particul arly

: on are a observed the edges the weeks indic ted .

The marks f or the d ays do n ot run from Janu ary

to a n d to on July from July December , but the

Vetr- 1 to 1 winter side ( leid) from October 4 April 3 ,

a n d - in the summer side (Somar leid) from April 1 4 to 1 October 3 . The signs partly refer to the R U N ES 1 43

a a a n d we ther , partly to husb ndry , partly the legends

a o f the S a ints . Seldom are two st ves formed

a exactly a like . N ot only do the signs v ry but the

a . N or are d ys themselves they always ﬂat , but

i e : s a . . ometimes squ re , , with four equal sides when of a are a the l tter shape they c lled Clogs , or Clog a lmanacs .

l s i e C o . . They are called gg , , Logg , Almanacks

- - A l mon a h t . or g , viz , the regard observation of all t h e a Moons , bec use by means of these squared s V erste a n a ticks , says g , they could cert inly tell w or r hen the new Moons , full Moons , othe Changes

a an d should happen , and consequently E ster the

r other movable feasts . They a e called by the

D — anes Rim stocks , not only because the Dominical letters were anciently expressed on them in Runic c Rimur haracters , but also because the word a nciently signiﬁed a Calendar . By the Norwegians w ith whom they are still in use , they are called

- Prim staves , and for this reason , the principal and most useful thing inscribed on them being the prime or a golden number , whence the Ch nges of the moon a re a a s understood , and lso as they were used w a alking sticks , they were most properly c lled

- Prim staves . The origin of these Runic or Clog — calend ars wa s

. . a Danish (vide Mr J W . Bradley , M . A . , S lt Li b ra r a ff y , St ord) . They were unknown in the South , a n d a only known by cert in gentry in the North .

a They are quite unknown in Irel nd and Scotland , 1 44 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E and are only known from the few examples pre served i n the M useums . Owing to the Ch a nges of custom in modern times these wooden perpetu a l almanacs have become

a quite superseded by the printed nnu a ls .

The inscriptions re a d procee ding from the right

a of are a or of h nd side the notches , m rks symbols the festivals expressed in a kind of hieroglyphic

a ou t a a of m nner , pointing the ch r cteristics the

a a a S ints , ag inst whose festivals they are pl ced , others the manner of their M artyrdom ; others some rem ark able fact in their lives ; or to the work or sport of the time when the fe asts we re kept .

r Thus on January 1 3 the Feast of St . Hi l i a y is

or of denoted by a Cross Crozier , the badge a

Bishop .

X N E PLA ATIO N O F TH E CLOG ALMA N A C .

The edges of the sta ff a re notched chieﬂy with Simple angul ar indenta tions A A but occa sion a lly with other m arks to denote the date of certain

speci a l F estivals .

T — a n . I Th e a s h n . J . Fe t of t e Circumcisio A t a Some imes circle .

— a n . 2 . n a a . J , 3 , 4 , 5 Ordi ry d ys

— a n . 6. a t th J The Fe s of e Epiph a n y . a In Twelfth d y . some ex a mples th e symbol is a sta r

R UN ES ms

a n — a J 7 . Ordin ry day .

— — a n 8 1 2 . t da of th e e d J . The ﬁrs y s con e a a n we k is shown by l rger otch .

— a n . 1 . a t St a . J 3 Fe s of . H il ry B ishop of

P oic tie rs t . , wi h double cross

- a n . 1 . a d a J 4 Ordin ry y .

— a n . 1 1 6. t da t d ee J 5 , Firs y of hir w k .

— a n 1 a t t . a J . 7 . Fe s of St . An hony P tron f h S a int of Fee ders o Swine . This is t e

Rune for M .

— f an 1 8 . F o P s . . . a A . D . 2 8 Not J St ri c , 7 .

noticed . a n 2 — F f . o. . o . a a . o J S F bi n Not n ti ced .

. a a Not F of S Seb sti n . noticed .

a n 2 1 —F n J . . . of S . Ag es .

— F a n . 2 2 . . t . . J . of S Vincen Not noticed

— a n 2 . o S t a . J . 5 Conversi n of . P ul Symbol f t n o decapi ta io .

N 0 o ther S a i n ts days a re noticed in Ja n .

— 2 a a . at Feb . . C ndlem s Puriﬁc ion of Vir a gin M ry .

— . St . a a nd a t . Feb 3 . B l ise, bishop m r yr t n a t Wool omb r The P a ro S in of c e s .

B eb a s ti . a . A . D . 16. p . S Armeni 3 1 46 TH E DAN ES I N LANCASH I R E

— . S t . . t . N ot n Feb 4 Gilber oticed .

— . . S t . at a . a a n Feb 5 Ag h P lermo . P tro ess as t n of Ch e Virgi s . — 6 . . . S t t a . Not Feb Doro he no ticed . — A S t . ol m . . i a . A . D . 2 a n a Feb 9 p 49 . Alex dri .

I — S t a . . . t t a n . Feb 4 V len ine (his ori ) M .

A . D . 2 1 t 7 . Plo gives

— 1 6. S t . P D . X . A . I 2 6. . o e Feb Gregory p . 7

— . 2 0 2 2 2 . S t . S t . Feb , , 3 M ildred , M ill

u te . b rgh , sis rs

— . 2 . S t a tt a t Feb 4 . M hi s , Apos le .

M r 1 — a a . S t . a . . D vid , B ishop Symbol

a a t a n a e . A . D . . h rp . P ro n S i t of W l s 544

— M 2 t . a A . D . 6 2 . a r . S . Ch d . 7

— . 60 . h a . A . D Ma r 1 2 . t . t t . S Gregory e Gre 4

- Ma r I . S . a t a t n a . . 7 P rick , P ro of Irel nd — Not n t . M r 2 0 S . t t . a . e . Cu hb r o iced — 1 B n N o n t c . A . D . 2 S . t . t Ma r. . e edic o i ed 543

t . s M . 2 a t n n a a r 5 . Fe s of A unci ion B les ed

a ua a t . Virgin M ry . Us l symbol he r

148 TH E DAN ES I N LAN CAS H I R E

B a a 1 1 S t . a . o t . June rn b s , Ap s le Com me n ce me n t th e Ha a t c of y h rves , hen e

th e ra ke .

- 2 at t a t t . June 4 . N ivi y of John B p is

ta f t Turnover s f for res of June .

2 — S . t . June 9 Peter , symbol of key .

2 — a t a July . Visit ion of S . Eliz beth .

— Eth b S . el r h July 7 . u g .

' — 1 . 62 5 . t as A . D 8 . July 5 1 Swi h in , symbol B ishop of Winches ter . Shower of ra i n

— 2 0 t . a a t . July . S M rg re

— 2 2 S t . a a a . July . M ry M gd lene

— h a . 2 . S t . a t t e July 5 J mes , A pos le Gre t

— 26 S t . n . J uly . A ne

— a A ug ust 1 La mm as D y . RU N ES 1 49

u t — S t a A gus 5 . Osw ld .

u I o — a A gust . S t . L wrence .

1 — A ugust 5 . Assump tion of the B lesse d a Virgin M ry . — B t 2 . St . a t Augus 4 r holomew .

— t 2 . S t a t Augus 9 . John B p ist .

- t 1 S t . a ta . Sep . . Giles . P tron of Hospi ls

6 Sept . .

8 — a B n t . t Sep . N tivi y of the lessed Virgi

M a ry . — t . 1 . a ta t s Sep 4 Ex l ion of the Cro s .

— 2 1 . S t . a . t . t Sep M thew , Apostle

2 — a a Sep t . 9 . Fe st of S . M ich el the Arch a ngel .

- St . Oct . 9 . . Denis

— . 1 S t . a s Oct . 3 . Edw rd the Confes or

— h E a . 1 8 . St . u t e Oc t . L ke v ngelist 1 5 0 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

— 2 . f O ct . S t . a t n o 5 Crispin , P ro Shoe

— 2 8 . a nd t ct . S t . S . u O Simon J de .

1 — a n All S i ts .

— 2 . A11 Souls .

— 6. t . n a Nov . S Leo rd .

- 1 1 . S t . a rt . Nov . M in B ishop of Tours ,

A . D . 3 97 .

— . 1 S . u n Nov 7 . H gh . B ishop of Lincol ,

A . D . 1 2 00 .

2 — K 0 . S t . n a Nov . Edmu d , ing of E st n a A gli .

— 2 S t . e t . Nov . 3 Cl men

2 — a n a a 5 . S t . C theri e of Alex ndri .

— o . S t . n t . Nov . 3 A drew , Apos le

— 6. St . a . Dec . Nichol s

1 5 2 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

supposed to have magical powers and so were regarded with dre a d by the Christians and were often destroyed by the priests and converts to

Christianity . They were derived from rude Im itations of the

of n ow Greek letters . Two these staves in the M useum at Copenh agen are 4 feet 8 —5 inches and

3 feet 8 inches long respectively . They are hand carved and n ot in any sense made by machinery .

a This ccounts from them being rarely alike , and often very different from one another . The Sun in his annual career returns to the same

' 6 6 . point in the odiac in 3 5 days , hours , nearly

wh o a s The Moon is really the month maker , the

e 1 2 of Sun is the y ar maker , does her monthly revolutions in 3 54 days . So that a lunar year is

1 1 a d ys shorter than the solar , supposing both to

a start from the same date . The actu l lunar month contains about 2 95 days . Therefore in order to

a two a b lance the reckonings , it was greed at a convention of Scientist Christians of Alex andri a in

a A D 2 two a to the ye r . . 3 3 , ye rs previous the Council of to Nice , make the distances between the new

a a 2 a n d 0 an d to a moon ltern tely 9 3 days , pl ce the

a golden number accordingly . N ow these Egypti n scholars observed that the new moon ne arest the vernal Equinox in 3 2 3 wa s on the 2 7th d ay of the

Ph auran oth t Egyptian month , corresponding wi h our 2 rd of so on 3 March , the cycle was commenced this day . This is the re ason why the golden number RU N ES 1 53

1 2 is placed against it , 9 days from this brought

2 1 5 t 0 them to the April , and 3 days from this to the

2 1 st . M ay , and so on through the year

N N RU IC CALE DAR .

The expl a natory engraving of the Calendar

shows the year begins on the 2 3 rd December . That this date is correctly given for the ﬁrst day of the ye ar is proved by the agreement between the Saints days and the days of the month on which

they fall and the Christia n Sunday Letters . In thus beginning the year this Calendar exhibits

a a ra re peculi rity . No other Runic C a lendar

a begins the ye r in the same manner , while numbers

could be shown which begin the year at Yuletide ,

2 commencing on the 5th December . Of the two modes of beginning it there is no q uestion th at the one here exhibited i s the genuine

heathen while the other is genuine Christia n . It is worth noticing that a s Winter takes precedence of Summer in the sense of a year : so night takes precedence of day generally in the sense of a civil

2 a day of 4 hours in old Icelandic writers , a m nner of speech which to this day is far from h aving gone

out of use . Considering the heathen tradition preserved in t his Calendar in the number of days given to the ye ar and in the date given to the commencement of t h e year , in which it stands unique , in the fact that th e i e 1 60 1 2 0 1 00 . interval between 3 and 3 , . , out of 1 54 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E ye ars rich in famous local and famous general

a n ot one a S ints , should be recorded here that S ints of universal adoration in the Catholic Church , such

of . as St . Thomas Canterbury , St Benedict , and

n ot a : others , should have a pl ce here we cannot escape referring it to an age when it may be fairly supposed that these heathen traditions were still believed in by at least a considerable number of the community .

to 1 2 0 Anterior 3 it cannot be , long posterior to that date it can scarcely be . That it must be a

’ layman s Calendar , is shown because it exhibits no golden numbers , and gives consequently no clue to the Paschal cycle or movable feasts . It is a very valuable piece of antiquity and ought to be well taken care of . On 2 n d F ebruary were anciently observed all over the Pagan north certain rites connected with

of or the worship ﬁre . In some pl a ces the toast bumper of the ﬁre was drunk by the whole family

wh o a f kneeling round the ﬁre , at the s me time o fered

a or to n gr in beer the ﬂames o the hearth . This was

so- El db or s - a of the called g sk l , the toast ﬁre salvage , a toast which wa s meant to a vert dis aster by ﬁre f or the coming ye ar .

n o Fire and Sun worship mingled together , doubt in obse rvance of this feast : f or where it wa s most religiously observed amongst the Swedes it was

Fre sb lOt wa s called y and a great event . In early Christi a n times only wax candles which had received

R UN ES 1 55

the blessing of the priest , were burnt in the houses

of the people , in the evening . Hence Candlemas ,

’ see illustration in Stephens Scandinavian M onuments .

Eirikr From a remarkable treatise by Magnusson ,

M . A . , on a Runic Calendar found in Lapland in

1 866 a . , be ring English Runes . (Cambridge Antiq

. a Vol . X . . 1 Soc Communic tions , , No ,

TH IS E NGLISH OR N ORWEGIAN RU N IC CALEN D AR

— Is A D 1 1 1 0 . DATED ABOUT . . 000 0

What distinguishes this piece is that seemingly from its great age and its having been ma d e i n

En l an d g , it has preserved in the outer or lower lines

of th e ol d en R u n es several . These are the N otae

D i stortae spoken of by Worm . Some of these as we ca n pl ainly see are provincial Engl i s h varieties

of the old northern Runes .

The Calendar before us is of bone , made from

- the j aw bone of the porpoise . We know nothing

of . its history Worm says , Probably to this Class must be a ssigned the peculiar Calendar carved on

a - a concave bone , p rt of the j aw bone of some large ” ﬁsh . Although it shows three rows of marks the

a n d h e signs of F estivals , the Solar Cycle t Lunar

a n d h a s Cycle , this last is here very imperfect even

some distorted marks as we see in the engraving .

a as E ach side , the conc ve as well the convex ,

a bears ne r the edge its girdling three rows of marks ,

a a so th t every series comprehends a qu rter of a year . 1 59 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

beginning with the d ay of Saint Calixt us . As Worm has only given one side of this curious Rune

a of blade , we cannot know the peculi rities the other

a h lf , which contained the Solar Cycle , and the three sign lines f or two quarters .

on On the side given , the Runes the right hand are reversed an d read from top to bottom ; those on

ma the left hand are n ot retrograde . It y often have

a on 1 8 been c rried the person , being only inches long . The Clog calendars range in length from

to to . 3 4 feet , as many inches Whenever we light upon any kind of R u ni c

to th e n orth pieces , we are at once conﬁned ,

s o Scandinavia and Engl a nd . Though numerous

a n o a in the Northern l nds , Runic C lendar has ever

or a yet been found in any Saxon Germ n province , except a couple bought or brought by modern

a a a . travellers , as curiosities from Sc ndin vi Stephens s ays this whole cl a ss of Antiquities h as never yet been properly tre ated . It offers work f or

’ on e man s l abours during a long time and many I j ourneys . t would produce a rich h arvest a s to the

a n d a s signs and symbols , Runes modiﬁed by local use a n d clannish custom . All the symbol marks should be tre ated in p ara llel groups . The v arious and often peculiar Runes should be carefully collected and elucidated . All this is well worthy of a - competent Rune Smith , Computist , and

of o Ecclesiologist . On many the l d Runic ” a l alee C lendars , especially in Sweden , we ﬁnd a

1 58 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

a to a Another Yorkshire pr ctice is t ke an egg , some t a of . no salt , and piece silver The Child must be

to f or to brought downstairs see the visitor , bring it downstairs would be to give it a start in life in the

of a to wrong direction . The form this ide is be ’ found in certain (J apanese) customs . The child s

ﬁn er- not cut f or g nails must be with scissors , iron had such close a ssociation with witchcraft . The n ails must be bitten off with the teeth . This to practice survives in some adults , much the disgust of their friends . ’ a H o Of children s games , th t known as p scotch wa s originally a religious rite practised at

a of of funera ls . It was symbolic l the passage the soul from the body to heaven or the other place to which the a ncients gave various names . The pattern which is drawn f or the purpose of this game h as been found on the ﬂoor of the Roman F orum .

’ Another game called C at s Cradle was played

an d by the North American Indians , has recently

on a n found island north of Austra lia . When Children could n ot play on account of the rain they recited a little rhyme which is still known to- day by

of a n d the people Austria in the wilds of Asi a . ’ The game of Ring 0 Roses is the surviv al of a n ol d a to incantation ddressed the Corn Spirit . When the wind rippled a cross the cornﬁeld the ancient

od wa s a harvesters thought the corn g p ssing by ,

a n d ol d would recite the rhyme , Closing with the

cr cr words , Hark the y hark the y all fall down R UN ES 1 59

Sometimes the corn spirit was supposed to become

a inc rnated in the form of a cow , hence the line in ' ’ the nursery j ingle , Boy B lue the cow s in the ” corn . When the boy donned his ﬁrst pair of breeches he must pass through a ritual . He must be nipped . The signiﬁcance of the nip was a test to see whether the boy in the new breeches was the same boy , or whether he had been Changed by the

fairies or evil spirits . This idea of a Change by

- evil spirits might seem far fetched , but so recently

1 8 8 as 9 , in the records of the Irish courts there was a case in which an Irishman was tried for accusing his wife of not being the same person as when he

a a married her , and of the wom n being br nded in consequence . Superstitions as to the cure of certain Childish complaints survive in the cure for whooping ’ ” cough , to take the sufferer over t watter . That is the only medicinal use of the river Aire , near

Leeds .

XI CHAPTER .

MEMORIALS .

At the time of the Conquest the population in some of the largest and most important cities is said to have been a lmost exclusively of Sca ndinavian extra ction .

In the north the Norwegian saint , St . Olave , has been zealously commemorated in both towns and country . This proves that Churches were built and Christi an worship performed during the D a nish dominion , and that these Northmen continued to reside here in great numbers a fter the Danish a scendancy ended . In the city of Chester there is a church and parish which still bears the name of St . Olave , and by the

’

l e s . Church runs a street called St . O av Lane This is opposite the old castle and close to the river Dee . ’ — l a e s In the north west part of York there is a St . O v

a Church , said to be the remains of monastery

a Si eward founded by the powerful Danish E rl , who was himself buried there in the ye ar 1 058 . Long

a a n d before the Norm n Conquest , the Danes North men preponderated in many of the towns of the

a North of Engl nd , which they fortiﬁed , and there erected churches dedicated to their own sainted 164 TH E DAN ES I N LAN CAS H I R E

kings and warriors . O lave is derived from Olaf

”

wh o wa s a . the White , a f mous Norse Viking He subdued Dublin about the middle of the ninth

a n d of century , made himself king the City and of district . From this time Ireland and the Isle Man were ruled by Norwegian kings f or over three centuries .

a It may therefore be inferred , by a natur l process of a deductive re soning , that during this period the D a nes were founding their settlements in Lan cashire Although we have no distinct traces of buildings erected by them , the names given by them to many places still survive . In these compound “ ” names the word kirk is often met with . This must establish the f a ct that the Danes erected many

’ l av e s other Churches besides St . O at Chester and

. an d York From Chester West Kirby , in the

a to Wirr l district , Furness , in the North , we have

a of abund nt evidence in the name Kirk , and its

a a compound forms , th t m ny Christian churches were

. a erected At Kirkdale , Ormskirk , Kirkh m , Kirkby

a a n d Lonsd le , Kirby Moorside , Kirkby Stephen

a Norman churches have superseded D nish buildings .

a wa s a s - i n - Kend l known formerly Kirkby Kendal , or - a the Church town in the v lley of Kent . And further memorials here survive in the n a mes of

Stra mon a te Gil l i n ate streets , such as g , g , Highgate ,

- and Strickland gate .

a a The n me Furness is distinctly Sc ndinavian ,

” f or Fa r t rom Fur and N ess , promon ory . The

Literatu re

1 70 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

a Long before the Norm n Conquest , the Danes

devoted themselves to pe aceful occupations . Several of the m a ny churches an d convents were erected by of Danish princes and chiefs , in the northern parts

a n ow re - or di sa Engl nd , which have been built , p peare d ; but their n a mes survive to distinguish their

a a a origin . It h s been s id that these e rly buildings

were composed of wood . This is proved from the

a work recently issued by Mr . J . Fr ncis Bumpus , in ”

of N orwa Swe den a n d . his Cathedrals y , , Denmark The touching life story of the m artyred Saint O l a f

a is there told . A wooden Ch pel was built over his

grave about the year 1 047 . This became the centre

of a of the n tional religion , and the sanctuary the

a an d . nation l freedom independence Trondhj em ,

a s ys Mr . Bumpus , is the eloquent expression in

’ stone of Norwa y s devotion to the beloved St . Olaf . Despoiled of much of its orn amentation by

a a of Protest nt zeal , it retains in the oct gon its noble

a a a choir true rchitectural gem , equal in delic te

be a uty to the Angel Choir of Lincoln . “ The phrase sk ryk e of d ay is common to South

a a a a s ol d L nc shire , and is the s me the English ” “

at e or of . a day pyp , peep day There is

. our great intimacy , says Dr Grimm , between

a of a n d of ide s light sound , colour and music , and

are a to hence we ble comprehend that rustling , and

a to a n d th t noise , which is ascribed the rising setting ”

. a a of Sun Thom s Kingo , Danish poet the seven teen th a n d of century , probably others his country

1 72 TH E DAN ES I N LA NCAS H I R E its he ated ch ariot axles being quenched in the

at a a a . Atl ntic Once , Creation , the morning st rs s ng

a f or j oy ; but a fterw rds moved in expressive silence .

D S A N D WA R N BALLA SO GS .

As a consequence of the D a nish and Norman

a conquests , a peculiar composition rose called

- - Anglo Danish an d Anglo Norm an . These legends a n d war songs were produced by the Danish wars , a n d were the expressions of an adventurous and

a a . knightly spirit , which bec me prev lent in England The most celebrated Of them were the rom ances of ” “ ” “ Beowulf , Havelock , the Dane , and Guy , ” a of E rl of Wa r wick . In the older romances

a a a Sc ndinavi n songs and sages , combats ag inst

an d dragons , serpents , plagues are celebrated ; in

of of a later romances the age chiv lry , warriors are sung wh o had fallen in love with be a utiful damsels f ar or a n d above them in birth rank , whose hand they could only acquire by some brilli a nt a dventure

r f o exploit . The heathen poems o the Scandinavian

a l l e a an d North are conceiv d in the s me spirit , it is not unre a son a ble to recognise traces of Sc a ndin avian

. In a inﬂuence in English compositions l ter times ,

to a even the middle ges , this inﬂuence is still more a a a a a pp rent in the b ll ds and popul r songs , which a re only to be found in the northern or ol d D anish

a t of a p r s Engl nd .

M a ny p arts of the E dda or Sagas have been L ITER ATU R E 1 73 founded on songs in honour of the gods and heroes worshipped in Sca ndin avia . In Shakespeare ’ s Hamlet the young prince is sent to Britain with a letter carried by his two

- comrades . But he re writes the letter and saves his life . In the original Aml eth legend of Saxo Gra mma ti cus Aml eth a the two companions of , c rry a wooden

- rune carvel . But he cuts away some of the staves

a and dds others , so that the letter now tells the

British king to slay the messengers , and to give his daughter in marri age to Aml eth . 1 608 In the Historie of Hamlet , London , , we read , Now to bear him company were assigned

’ Fe n ons a two of g ministers , be ring letters engraved ’ on wood , that contained Hamlet s death , in such sort as he h a d advertised to the King of England .

But the subtle Danish prince , being at sea , whilst his companions slept , raced out the letters that concerned his death , and instead thereof graved ” others .

LAY O F S D S AN D S THE NOR E GO H EROE .

S tep ou t of th e misty veil Which da rkly wi n ds ro u n d thee ;

t ou t th e n a S ep of olde d ys , Thou grea t D ivi n i ty ' Across th y me n ta l visio n

a e th e t P ss s godly hos , ’ Th a t B rug i s melodies ’ M a de A sg a rd s pro udest boa st . 1 74 TH E DAN ES I N LAN CAS H I R E

There ri se th e sou n ds of m usic

a t n t a n d C a From h rp s ri gs swee le r , Wo n derfully e n ch a n ti n g

n a r To th e re ceivi g e .

u a t i t t u a t a d Tho w s , ho h s c rrie

a a t n a S g s of Nor her f me , Dids t boldly st rike th e h a rp s tri n gs Of ol d Sk a lds ; j ust th e sa me ’ s a n s t th e B i rf ros t Thou p bridge of , The pa thwa y of th e Gods :

a the t O n me migh y heroes , Dra w pictures of th e Gods '

of These fairy tales the giants , dwarfs , and

n ot f or heroes , are senseless stories written the amusement of the idle ; but they contain the deep

a or of our f ith religion forefathers , which roused

to a a an d i n s i re d them br ve ctions , p them with strength

f or and courage . These S aga s existed over four

a a - od hundred ye rs , until they exch nged their hero g

T mar . or f or . h u f or St Martin , and their , St Peter

a a St . Oswald , when their glory in Scandin vi fell before the preaching of the Cross .

to of a Previous their conquest England , the D nes are s aid to h ave been un a cqu ainted with the art of

a re a coining money . They s id to h ave imitated the

s o- a Byzantine coins , by making the c lled Brac ” taetes on one , which were stamped only the side ,

art of and were mostly used as orn aments . The

L ITE RATU R E 1 75

a coinage was very ancient in Engl and . It w s the custom of the Anglo - Saxon coiners to put their

names on the coins which they struck . In the eighth and ninth centuries the names of the coiners

- are . purely Anglo Saxon But in the tenth century ,

an d a 0 especi lly after the year 9 5 , pure Danish or

a to a Scandinavian n mes begin ppear ; for instance ,

Th u rmo , Grim , under King E dgar (9 59 and

Rafn , Thurstan , under King E dward (975 i a H ar r m an d . lso Ingolf , g , others These Scandin avi a n n a mes are mostly found in

a the coins minted in the North of Engl nd , or in

a districts which were e rly occupied by the Danes .

Under King Ethelred I I . , who contended so long with Canute the Gre at before the D a nish conquest

of a England was completed , the number of Sc ndi

a navian coiners arose rapidly , with the D nish power , a n d the names of forty or ﬁfty may be found on the

coins of Ethelred alone . Even after the fall of the

Danish power , they are to be met with in almost the s ame number as before on the coins of the Anglo

a . Saxon King , E dw rd the Confessor These coins prove much and j ustify us in inferring a long

continued coinage .

The great hoard of silver coins found at

a 1 8 0 two Cuerd le in 4 , some miles above Preston ,

a a were buried in a le den Chest , ne r an ancient ford

of a the river Ribble . This tre sure composed the

a war chest of the D nish army , which was defeated 1 76 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

a on a at this ford e rly in the tenth century , its retre t

a on a into Northumbri a . It contained ne rly e thous nd

a n d English coins Of Alfred the Great , some forty

a of ﬁve of E dward the E lder . The l test date any of of these coins being the latter reign , the date of the hoard being buried may be ﬁxed between

2 a of the ye ars 900 and 9 5 . M ny the coins were

a of continent l , belonging to the coast Western

an d of France , from the district round the mouth

a f the river Seine . The ppearance o this money agrees with the early records Of the Saxon

a of a 8 Chronicle , th t the ye r 9 7, which tells us that

one a the Danish army divided , p rt went into the

a a E stern Counties , and the other into Northumbri , an d wh o m those were without oney , procured ships ” a n d a went southw rds over the s ea to the Seine . “ of 1 0 a a The other Chronicle 9 st tes th t , a great

a a a n d ﬂeet c me hither from the south , from Britt ny ,

a a a gre tly rav ged the Severn , but there they fter ” a w rds nearly all perished . It may be supposed th at the remnant of this b and bec ame united with th e a n d a f or main Danish army , would ccount the a of l rge proportion foreign money . The bulk of

a f the coins were Danish , minted by D nish kings o

Northumbria .

a ma From these Circumst nces , we y believe , this ho ard to have been the tre a sure or war chest of this

a a retre ting rmy . This Cuerd a le hoard is by f ar the l a rgest found in L a nc ashire ; it contained

a n d a silver coins , ne rly ounces of Silver

1 78 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

of stil l remai ni n been gilt originally , some the gold g , which was of very pale colour . The ornamentation of consisted four circular compartments , divided by of branches which terminated in the heads animals ,

a are in Arabesque style . I n these comp rtments a panther a n d a butting bull a lternately This two ornament is included inside beautiful borders , which encircle the cup in parallel lines . The

of a a a torque is equ l interest , and is a peculi r ex mple of a - a D nish wire work met l rings , twisted and

f or plated , with the ends beaten together a double of of fastening . The face this portion the neck lace , which is ﬂattened , was decorated with small

wa f triangular pieces ﬁxed by curious rivets . It s o pure silver and weighed six ounces six penny weights .

Along with these deposits were some gold pieces ,

on one of struck side only , with a rough outline a

a a hum n head . Simil r pieces have been found in

a Denmark , and the D nish element is predominant in the whole decoration .

TH E N A GE VIKI G .

Before the Normans came our district was

a Scandin vian . From the year 8 76 they bega n to

a n d not a s settle behaved raiders but as colonists .

They wanted homes and settled quietly down . In the course of 2 00 years their descendants

a as bec me leading landowners , we see from the

a of 1 2 th Norse n mes the century records . L ITER ATU R E 1 79

Naturally the art of the district must have been inﬂuenced by such people : especi a lly by the

a Scandinavians who had lived in Irel nd , till then a very artistic country . Whether Irish taught Norse or vi ce versa wa s a , we see that there a qu ntity of artistic work produced especially along the sea

a board , and we are lucky in h ving analogies not f ar to seek . In the Isle of Man the earliest series of Crosses h ave 1 1 th century runes and ﬁgure subj ects from the E dd a and the Sigurd story which were l ate 1 1 th

K ermode . a c . . entury Mr , Scot , d tes them

— 1 0 0 1 1 0 . I . 5 5 (Saga book of Viking Club , Vol ,

a an p . We have them in the rem ins in M a k indred race to ours in the age before the Normans c ame : and we ﬁnd resemblances between these Manx Crosses an d some of ours both in subj ect and

1 1 in style . In subj ects the th century Crosses of

a Mal ew a arel l e l Kirk Andre s , Jurby , and ﬁnd p at h a . I I t H lton , which Mr Calverley places late in c entury and attributes to people under strong S candinavian inﬂuence : but Danish a s it happens ra ther than Norse .

The Halton Crosses are not Norse in style . T hey are like the late pre - Norman work in York s hire where the D a nes lived .

Then the Hogback stones have to be placed . We have ﬁxed the Gosforth and P l uml an d e xamples by their dragonesque work as of the V iking settlement . 1 80 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

th e . All these have Chain pattern , which Mr Calverley called the Tree Yggdrasil or Tree of

Existence , which shows that these monuments are

of Viking origin . From what models or pattern did these early sculptors copy their designs ? It is sometimes said

: . that they imitated M S S . assuming that M S S ’ were fairly common and placed in the stone carver s hands . This is far less likely than that sculptors , at a distance from good models in stone , copied patterns from metal work which were the most

of a l l of portable , and most accessible forms art , in the days before printing was invented .

Suppose , to make it plainer , the sorrowing survivor bids the British workman carve a Cross ? ” f or the dead Wh at like shall I work it says

a r the mason . Like the f ir Crosses of Engl a nd o

a so Irel nd , a knot above , and a knot below , and ” ”

. a a forth But , s ys the m son , and he might say “ 1 0th it in the century , I have never been in Engl a nd or Ireland or seen your Crosses Then

”

a t swordh i l t . nswers the patron , Make i like this

v (Cal erley . )

The earlier Irish Christians were highly i nte l l ec

a a n d not a t . a tu l literary , but ﬁrst artistic Liter ture in all ra ces precedes art ; it would be contrary to a l l historical analogy if Patrick and Columba had lived in the artistic a tmosphere of the eighth and

’ a a a ninth century in Irel nd . P trick s bell is n o gre t

1 8 2 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

of n — or and ring carvings upon this variety sto es , in

of a a . words , upon the stones a sm ll meg lithic circle Some of the Calder Stones afford ample evidence of modern chiselling a s marked by the sharpness o and outray ﬁg uri ng s . But in addition t these there

cut a are upon them , though in some parts gre tly of faded away , sculpturings cups and concentric rings similar to those found in v arious parts of

f or not England and Scotland , remarkable only

their archaic carvings , perfect and entire similarity

to those found elsewhere , but still more from the fact that we have here presented upon a single circle almost every known an d recognised type Of these

cuttings .

The Calder Circle is about six yards in diameter , consists of ﬁve stones which are still upright and one

a a n d that is f llen . The stone s consists of slabs of blocks red sandstone , all different in size and

shape . The fallen stone is small , and shows nothing

on its exposed side , but possibly if turned over some

markings migh t be discovered on its other surf a ce .

a of O f the ﬁve standing stones the l rgest the set ,

N O . 1 6 , is a sandstone slab between 5 7 feet in height

. a or and in breadth On its outer surf ce , the surface

to of ﬂ aw turned the exterior the Circle , there is a above from disintegration an d splintering of the stone : but the remaining portion of the surf a ce presents between 3 0 and 40 cup depressions v arying f 2 a a f a t a nd rom to 3 and h l inches in di me er , at its lowest and left - hand corner is a concentric LITER ATU R E 1 83

a a circle bout foot in diameter , consisting of four

a enlarging rings , but pparently without any central depression . The opposite surface of this stone

N O . 1 ( ) is that directed to the interior of the Circle , has near its centre a cup cut upon it , with the m re ains of one surrounding ring . On the right side of this single - ringed cup are the faded rem ains of a concentric circle of three rings . To the left of it there is another three - ringed Circle with a central

depression , but the upper portions of the ring are

- Off . broken Above it is a double ringed cup , with this peculiarity , that the external ring is a volute

a le ding from the central cup , and between the outer and inner ring is a fragmentary line of apparently another volute making a double - ringed spiral which

is common on some Irish stones , as on those of the

s great archaic mau oleum at New Grange , but

extremely rare in Great Britain . At the very base

of this stone towards the left are two small volutes ,

one with a central depression or cup , and the other

s seemingly without it . One of these small volute

Of . consists three turns , the other of two The cup a n d ring cuttings have been discovered

in a v ariety of relations and positions . Some are sculptured on the surface of rocks i n s itn — on large stones placed inside and outside the walls of Ol d

British Cities and camps , on blocks used in the con struction of the olden dwellings and strongholds of

archaic living man , in the interior of the chambered

a n d sepulchres kistvaens of the archaic dead , on 1 84 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

monoliths and on cromlechs , and repeatedly in ” Scotland on megalithic or so- called Druidical circles . The name Calder Stones is derived from Norse

or - or Calder Caldag , the calf garth yard enclosed to protect young cattle from straying .

N ORSE AN D DANISH G RAVE M OUNDS .

Amongst the ancient monuments of Britain the well - known rem ains called Druidical Circles hold a foremost place , though their use , and the people by whom they were erected , are questions which still remain matters of dispute . The Stone enclos of ures Denmark , which resemble the Circles of f Cumbria in many respects , mainly di fer from them , in that they are found in connection with burial

Chambers , whilst the latter are generally situated of to on the ﬂat surface moors , with nothing indicate that they have ever been used f or sepu l ch ural

r purposes . Therefore wherever n o urns o other

evi d remains have been found , we have negative ence that the pl a ce wa s not intended f or a place of sepulture . Cairns which are the most undisputed form of a Celtic burial place were once very numerous in the n orthern districts but a great many have long since been removed . The graves of Norway be ar an to outward resemblance the Celtic Cairn , but the

1 86 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E Memorial stones still remain in considerable of numbers , the most remarkable which is the Nine

Stand ards in Westmoreland . Several villages ca lled Unthank take their names from Monuments no longer in existence , the word being in English ” “ ” onthi nk , and the phrase to think on is still current in the dialect . Mythology

1 90 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

a of warriors while resting from the f tigue ﬁghting , by tables of mead . The myths were founded on the belief of the of Norse people , regarding the creation the world , gods , and men , and thus we ﬁnd them preserved in the songs of the E dd a . The vague notion of a Deity wh o created and ruled over all things had its rise in the impression made upon the human mind

of . an d by the unity nature The sun , moon , stars ,

a a Clouds and mists , storms and tempests , ppe red to be higher powers , and took distinct forms in the mind of man . The sun was ﬁrst regarded as a

ﬁery bird which ﬂew across the sky , then as a horse , and afterwards a s a chariot and horses ; the clouds were cows , from whose udders the fruitful rain

- poured down . The storm wind appeared as a great e agle that stirred the air by the ﬂapping of his of enormous wings . These signs nature seemed to resemble animals . On further consideration it was found that man was gifted with the higher mental powers . It was then acknowledged that the ﬁgure of an anima l was a n improper representation of a divine being . They thus inverted the words of ” God own Holy writ , that created man in his image , a n d n ow own men made the gods in their likeness ,

a a but still regarded them as gre ter , more be utiful , an d more ide a l th a n themselves . From the titles of these pagan gods we derive

of our a of an d the names d ys the week , thus we continue to perpetuate in our d aily ﬁf e the story of MYTH OLOGY 1 9 1

a Norse mythology . The ﬁrst day of the week w s dedicated to the worship of the sun . The second day to that of the moon . The third day was sacred

war. to Tyr , the god of The fourth day was sacred to Wodin , or Odin , the chief deity . The ﬁfth day

wa s . sacred to Thor, the god of thunder The sixth da a y of the week , Friday , was s cred to Frigga , the

a r a wife of the gre t Odin . The seventh o l st day of the week was dedicated by the Romans to Saturn , on e of the planets , their god of agriculture , whose a nnu a l festival was a time of unrestrained enj oy ment .

The E ddas were two Scandinavian books , the earlier a collection Of mythological and heroic songs , and the other a prose composition of old and venerable traditions . These books were meant for the instruction of the Norse Skalds and bards . It

a Saemun d is believed th t the learned Icelander, ,

1 0 6 the Wise , compiled the older E dda in 5 from oral traditions , and partly from runic writings . The younger E dda is supposed to have been compiled

Sn orri Sturl ason 1 1 8 by Bishop in 7 , and this

- collection goes by the name of Sn orra E dda . The language was developed by means of the sagas and songs which had been handed down among the people from generation to generation .

The Norns were the three fatal sisters , who used to watch over the springs of water , and appeared by the cradle of many a royal infant to give it presents . On such occasions two Of them were 1 9 2 TH E DAN ES I N LANCASH I R E

generally friendly to the child , while the third prophesied evil concerning it . In the pretty story “ of th e Sleeping Beauty these Norns appear as the fairies .

MYTHICAL GODS .

Bragi was the son of the wave maidens and the god of poetry . He was married to the blooming

Induna , who accompanied him to Asgard , where she gave the gods every morning the apples of eternal youth .

Tyr, the god of war, was tall , slender as a pine , and bravely defended the gods from the terrible

— so Fenris Wolf . In doing he lost his hand , and was held in high honour by the people . Baldur ,

one son the holy , and the giver of all good , was the of Odin . His mother Frigga entreated all

to - Sh e creatures spare the well beloved , but over looked the weak mistletoe bough . The gods in

a a boisterous play threw their we pons at B ldur , and the dart m a de of the fatal bough was thrown by the blind H odur with deadly effect .

orseti of a F , the son B ldur , resembled his father of in holiness and righteousness , was the upholder

a etern a l l aw. The myth shows him seated on throne teaching the Norsemen the beneﬁts of the

t . law , surrounded by his welve j udges

a od of Loki , the cr fty g , was the father the Fenris

an d . wa s od of Wolf , the snake He the g warmth

wa s u and household ﬁre , and held to be the corr pter

1 94 TH E DAN ES I N LAN CAS H I R E

U ller is recorded in the E dda a s the cheery a n d

od of wh o f or sturdy g winter , cared nothing wind a n d wh o to o a on lOn snowstorm , used g bout g

r - j ourneys on his sk ates o snow shoes . These shoes

a to were comp red a Shield , and thus the shield is

’ called U ller s Ship in many places . When the god U ller skated over the i ce he carried with him his

a n d b ow a shield , deadly arrows and m de from the

- yew tree . He lived in the Palace Ydalir , the yew

b e v a le . As protected plants and seeds from the of severe frosts the north , by covering the ground

of a as with a coating snow , he was reg rded the

of a wa s a benefactor mort l men , and c lled the friend

of of o . Baldur , the giver every blessing and j y

a V u l der U ller me nt divine glory , as , the Anglo

a od wa s a . S xon g , lso characterised This was probably beca use the glory of the northern winter

a night , which is often brilli ntly lighted by the snow ,

a n d a - a a the dazzling ice , the Auror bore lis , the gre t northern light . The myths exist in the present like

of a are n o the stately ruins a p st time , which longer

a a suit ble f or the use of m n . Generations come a n d

o a an d of g , their views , ctions , modes thought Ch ange

All thi ngs ch a n ge ; they come a n d go ;

u ns u s a o n a n The p re u llied oul l e rem i s i n pea ce .

Thous a nds of years ago our a ncestors prayed to

a a a a of a W run , the f ther in heaven ; thous nds ye rs l ater the Rom a ns entered their temple an d wor MYTH OLOGY 1 95

shipped Jupiter , the father in heaven , while the

- Teutonic races worshipped the All father . After the lapse of centuries n ow we turn in al l our sorrow and adversities to our F ather which is in he aven . In the thousands of years which may pass we shall not h ave grown beyond this central point of religion .

Our li ttle systems h a ve their day ; They h a ve their day a n d cea se to be ;

a re b u t n t of e They broke ligh s The ,

A n d d a rt a n o t t . Thou , O L r , more h hey

We h a ve b u t fa i th ; we ca nnot k n ow ; For knowledge is of thi n gs we see ; t t i t o And yet we rus comes fr m Thee ,

a a n l e t i t A be m in d rk ess , grow

- In his masterly work on Hero Worship , C arlyle tra ces the growth of the Hero as Divinity from the Norse Mythology in the following words : How the man O din came to be od ? considered a god , the Chief g His people knew n o limits to their a dmiration of him ; they had as yet n o scale to me a sure a dmiration by . Fancy your

’ own generous he a rt s love of some gre atest man

a a l l expanding till it tr nscended bounds , till it filled and overfl owe d the whole field of your thought . Then consider what mere Time will do in such

h ow man wa s cases ; if a great while living , he becomes tenfold gre ater when de a d . ‘ ’ What an enormous camera - obscura magniﬁer 196 TH E DAN ES I N LAN CAS H I R E

is Tradition ' H ow a thing grows in the human

a a memory , in the hum n imagin tion , when love ,

a n d a l l a a a worship , th t lies in the hum n he rt , is there

to a . a encour ge it And in the d rkness , in the entire

a or n o no ignor nce ; without date document , book , Arundel marble : only here a n d there some dumb

a . ' or monument l cairn Why in thirty forty years ,

n o an man were there books , y great would grow ‘ ’ a wh o mythic , the contempor ries had seen him , being once all dead : enough f or us to discern f ar in the uttermost dista nce some gle am a s of a sm a ll real light shining in the centre of that enormous c a mera — obscura image to discern th at the centre of

a l l was n ot a a n d a a it madness nothing , but s nity a n d something . This light kindled in the great d ark vortex of the

a f or Norse mind , d rk but living , waiting only the to of . w light , this is me the centre the whole H o

out a n d such light will then shine , with wondrous thous and - fold exp a nsion spre a d itself in forms and

on i t so a s colours , depends not , much in the

a a o N tion l Mind recipient f it . Wh o knows to what unn a me able subtleties Of spiritu a l l aw all these P aga n f a bles owe their sh ape ' The numbe r

div i sib l es t of a l l a twelve , , which could be h lved ,

a a Si x qu rtered , p rted into three , into , the most

a a wa s t rem rk ble number , this enough o determine

’ of ' a of the Signs the odi c , the number Odin s sons , a n d a innumer ble other twelves . ’ a re a a Odin s Runes a signiﬁc nt fe ture of him .

1 98 TH E DAN ES I N LAN CAS H I R E

n w a . o a gre t word about it And , if we still admire such a man beyond all others , what must these wild

a Norse souls , ﬁrst wakened with thinking , have

a of ' a m de him The rough words he rticulated , are they n ot the rudimental roots of those English

? s o a words we still use He worked , in th t obscure element . But he was as a light kindled in it , a

of of a light intellect , rude nobleness he rt , the only

of : to kind lights we have yet he had shine there , a n d a make his obscure element little lighter , as is still the task of us a l l . We will fancy him to be the type Norsem an ; the

ﬁnest Teuton whom that race had yet produced . He is as a root of many great things ; the fruit of of him is found growing , from deep thousands

a f o . ye rs , over the whole ﬁeld Teutonic life Our

’ own a n ot ? Wednesd y , is it still O din s day

VVansb orou h Wednesbury , g , Wanstead , Wands

: a too are worth Odin grew into Engl nd , these still the leaves from that root . He was the Chief god to a l l a the Teutonic peoples ; their p ttern Norsemen .

a The essence Of the Sc ndinavian , as indeed Of a l l a to Pag n mythologies , we found be recognition of the divineness of n ature ; sincere communion of ma n th e with mysterious invisible powers , visibly

a seen at work in the world round him .

a Sincerity is the great Char cteristic of it . Amid a l l that f a ntastic congeries of associations a nd

a a tr ditions in their musical mythologies , the m in practical belief a man could have wa s of an MYTH OLOGY 199

of a n d inﬂexible destiny , the valkyrs the hall of

f or a was Odin , and that the one thing needful man

a to be br ve . The Valkyrs are choosers of the

a wh o a sl in , lead the brave to a he venly hall of Odin : only the base an d slavish being thrust else

of . where , into the realms Hela , the Death goddess

This was the soul of the whole Norse Belief .

a Valour is still v lour . The ﬁrst duty of a man is

n still that of subduing Fear . S orro tells us they thought it a sh ame an d misery not to die in battle ; and if a natural death seemed to be coming on , they would cut wounds in their ﬂesh th at Odin might receive them as warriors sl ain . Old kings

a about to die had their body laid into ship , the ship sent forth with sail set and slow ﬁre burning in it ;

out at a that once sea , it might bl ze up into ﬂame , and in such a manner bury worthily the old hero , ” at once in the sky and in the ocean .

TH E D ESCENT OF OD I N .

th e e n u (From Nors To g e . )

By THOMAS GRAY.

th e me n t e Up rose king of wi h sp ed ,

a a And sa ddled s tra igh t his co l bl ck s tee d . Down th e ya wning s tee p he rode ’ Th a t lea ds to Hel a s drea r a bode . H im th e Dog of D a rk ness spied ;

a t a t n H is sh ggy hro he ope ed wide , ’ h i s a t a na ﬁl l d While from j ws wi h c r ge , ’ Foa m a nd hum an gore d is til l d ; 2 00 TH E DA N ES I N LANCASH I R E

a a t d i n Ho rse he b ys wi h hideous ,

t a t a n d a t a t Eyes h glow f ngs h grin , A n d lo n g p urs ue s wi th fr ui tless yell

The fa ther of th e powerf u l spe ll .

n a t wa ta O w rd s ill his y he kes , (The groa ni n g ea rth be nea th him sh a kes) Till full before his fea rless eyes

ta n n f The por ls i e o Hell a ri se . Righ t a ga i nst th e ea ster n ga te

B th e n a t y moss grow pile he s e , Where lo n g o f yore to sleep wa s l a id

u t th e t a The d s of prophe ic m id ,

a n to th e n t n C F ci g or her lime ,

t a th e u n Thrice he r ced R ic rhyme ,

n n i n a n t a d Thrice pro ou ced cce s dre ,

n a a h a The thrilli g verse th t w kes t e de d . Till from o u t th e hollow gro u n d

a n Slowly bre thed a sulle n so u d .

a t a n n n a t a u Wh c ll u k ow , wh Ch rms pres me To brea k th e quie t o f t he tomb Who th us a fﬂic ts my tro ubled spri te A n d dra gs me from th e rea lms of n igh t ? Lo n g on these mo u lderi n g bo nes h a ve be a t ’ ’

n t n th e a t . The wi er s s ow , summer s he

n n a n d n a n The dre chi g dews , drivi g r i ,

l a Le t e t e a n . me , me sle p g i ’ Who is he wi th voice u n b le s s d Th a t ca lls me from th e b e d of rest ? A tra veller to the u n k no w n ’ Is t a t a a a s on he h c lls ; w rrior s , Thou th e deeds of ligh t sh a ll k now ;

a t d n e Tell me wh is o e b low .

on tt n a a For whom y gli eri g bo rd is spre d , ’ ? D res s d for whom y on golde n bed

2 02 TH E DA N ES I N LANCASH I R E

ﬂ a xe n t t a Th a t their resses e r , A n d s nowy veils th a t ﬂoa t i n a i r ? n t Tell me whe ce heir sorrows rose ,

The n I lea ve thee to repose . H a no tra veller a rt tho u K ing of Me n I k now thee now

M igh tiest of a migh ty line .

n a n Odin No bodi g m id of skill divi e , A rt t n o t hou , prophe ess of good , B ut mother of a gi a n t brood '

t n a n d a t a t H ie hee he ce , bo s home , Th a t never sh a ll e n q u irer come

a S a a n To bre k my iron leep g i ,

s t a Till Lok his hor e his enfold ch in ,

t u ta n t a t Never ill s bs i l N igh ,

H as re - a a n n t t ssumed her cie righ , ’ a i n u h u rl d Till wr pped f mes , in ruin ,

n th e a th e S i ks f bric of world . Su per stition s

2 06 TH E DAN ES IN LANCASH I R E

of ﬂ ax en of hair the Dane , but the brown and locks l d ' as . o the German well An writer , Oliver

a 1 61 6 Matthew , Of Shrewsbury , writing in the ye r , a t a e of 0 the g 9 years , says it was the custom of the Danes to place one of their men to live in each

a of homeste d the conquered race , and this was more resented than the tribute they had to pay . This affords another proof that these fair - haired men I were the c ause of this present superstition . t is also considered unlucky to a llow a nything to be

’ a out on a t ken of the house New Ye r s Day , before

a something had been brought in . The import tion of a a of the most insigniﬁc nt rticle , even a piece coal , or a of ﬁ to something in the n ture food , is suf cient

a prevent this misfortune , which the contr ry action would render inevitable . This sentiment is well expressed in the following rhyme

a ou t a n d t n ta i n T ke , he ke ,

Ba d l uck will begi n .

a i n t n ta ou t T ke , he ke , t G ood luck comes abo u .

It would be ra sh to speculate h ow long supersti tions of this kind will continue to walk hand in h and with religion ; h ow long traditions from f ar- Off heathen times will exercise this spell not only in our remote country places but in enlightened towns . In

a of — the re lms folk lore , many were ﬁrm believers in

a a n d witchcr ft , in signs omens , which things were

a awe dre ded with ignorant , while the romantic race SUP ERSTITI ONS 2 07 of gipsies look upon occult inﬂuences from the

a a a . inside , as means of person l g in The prophetic character of the weather during this period is a superstition common to all the Aryan

O a tribes . S strongly is this ch racteristic of the

a a at season felt in L nc shire the present day , that many country people may be met with who h abitu ally found their “ forecast on the appearances of

a . the heavens on Old Christmas Day . The l te Mr

a T . T . Wilkinson relates singular instance of this superstition , which shows the stubbornness of

a tradition l lore , even when subj ected to the power and inﬂuence of legisl ative ena ctments . He says The use of the Ol d style in effect is not yet extinct l in Lancashire . The writer knows an O d man of

a a Habergham , ne r Burnley , about 77 ye rs of age , who always reckons the Changes of the seasons in

a this m nner . He alleges the pra ctice of his father and grandfather in support of his method , and

’ states with much conﬁdence that P erl iment didn t

’ ’ ’ ’ change t seasons wen they ch ang d day o t

’ ’ month . A work named The Shepherd s

1 0 Kalender , published in 7 9 , soberly informs us that if New Year ’ s Day in the morning opens with

dusky red clouds , it denotes strife and debates

an d to among great ones , many robberies happen ” that year . 2 08 TH E D AN ES I N LANCASH I R E

E N TH H ELM WI D .

of on In the neighbourhood Kirkoswald , the

a l E den in Cumberland , district pro iﬁc in Arthurian “ a a a legends , it is said that peculi r wind c lled the ’ a Helm Wind , sometimes blows with gre t fury in tha t p art of the country . It is believed by some persons to be an electrica l phenomenon . This fact may h ave some remote connection with the

’ a superstition under consideration . Sir W lter Scott s “ version of the legend is as follows A d aring horse j ockey sold a black horse to a ma n of venerable and

a a wh o a a antique ppe rance , appointed the rem rk ble hillock upon the Eildon Hills , called the Lucken

’ a t Hare , as the place where twelve o clock at night

a a n d he should receive the price . He c me his

a wa s money was p id in ancient coin , and he invited

a by his customer to View his residence . The tr der in horses followed his guide in the deepest astonish

a of ment through sever l long ranges stalls , in each of a which horse stood motionless , while an armed

’ ‘ warrior lay equ a lly still at the Charger s feet . All ’ ‘ a these men , said the Wizard in whisper , will

’ a of ri m awaken at the b ttle Sh e ff oor. At the extremity of this extra ordinary d epOt hung a sword a n d a out to horn , which the Prophet pointed the

a of horse dealer , as containing the me ns dissolving

. man the spell The in confusion , took the horn and a ttempted to wind it . The horses insta ntly started

a in their st lls , stamped and shook their bridles ; the

2 1 0 TH E DAN ES I N LANCASH I R E

f a Classic a l Venus . Hence its importance in a f irs of

n ot a love and courtship . It is improbable th t the far - famed dart of Cupid may have some relation to

a to a the mistletoe rrow , which the be utiful Baldr succumbed . The medicinal qualities of the mistletoe tree were also in high repute . Its healing power was shared of by the ash tree , which was the Cloud tree the

Norsemen . The ash (Norse was the tree f wh o out o which the gods formed the ﬁrst man , was thence ca lled Askr . The ash was among the of of Greeks , an image the clouds , and the mother men . Other Christmas customs and superstitions are peculiar to Lancashire The white thorn is sup

posed to possess supernatural power , and certain

a trees Of this Cl ss , in Lancashire called Christmas

to on thorns , are believed blossom only Old

Christmas Day . Mr . Wilkinson says that in the neighbourhood of Burnley many people will yet

at travel a considerable distance midnight , in order

” ’ to witness the blossoming . The Boar s Head yet forms a chief obj ect amongst the dishes of Christmas

festivities . Among the impersonations of natural

a a phenomena , the wild bo r represented the rav ges

of a l l the whirlwind that tore up the earth . In mythologies the boar is the animal connected with

a n d storm lightning . There yet exists a superstition prev a lent in Lancashire to the effect tha t pigs can ” see the wind . Dr . Kuh m says that in Westphalia SUP ERSTITI ONS 2 1 I

t his superstition is a prevalent one . The tradition

is at least three or four thousand years old . Lancashire has many stories of the pranks played b y the wild boar or demon pig , removing the stones i n the night on the occasion of the building of c hurches . Stories of this nature are to be found r v resemb l especting Winwick , where a rude car ing

ing a hog fastened to a block of stone , by a collar , i s to be seen built into the tower of the present

Church . Burnley and Rochdale Churches , and S amlesbury Church , near Preston , possess similar t raditions . All Celtic nations have been accustomed to the worship of the Sun . It was a custom that every where prevailed l n ancient times to celebrate a feast

at the Winter Solstice , by which men testiﬁed their j oy at seeing this great luminary return again to this

part of the hea vens . This was the greatest

s olemnity of the year . They called it in many ” Yuul Hi au l places Yole or , from the word ” and Houl , which even at this day signiﬁes sun ” H eu l o in the language of Cornwall . in modern Welsh means to shine as the Sun And thus we

ma a . y derive our word h lo Some writers , including “ ” t h e h voel Venerable Bede , derive Yule from , a ’ wheel , meaning the return of the Sun s annual

c ourse after the Winter Solstice .

CHAPTER XV .

AGRICULTURE .

While the Scandinavian element is regarded by modern writers as the predominating feature in the m co position of Englishmen , the Danish has been the pre — eminent force in forming the character of the race which dominates the Lancashire people of

- f to . o day In our survey the progress of the race ,

a from the earliest settlement of the D nes , we ﬁnd the impression of their footprints in the place - n ames

our of the county , which are oldest and most

enduring monuments . Following their Character of

a d ring and venture , we have established a maritime

power which is the envy of the world . The same Spirit which formed our early settlements in L a ncashire has founded colonies in every quarter of

emen the globe . The enterprise of the early cop

our has developed into mercantile ﬂeet , which

controls the carrying trade of the seas . The voice of their language still resounds in the names of our “ ” laws , the hundreds of the county , and in our

of an d th e system administration , also in political

freedom which has established . the saying that “ a a - da a Wh t L ncashire says to y, Engl nd will sav ” to- morrow . 2 1 6 TH E DAN ES I N LANCASH I R E

In the earliest record of agricultural progress we ﬁnd the Danes have given us the name of ” husbandry , and the modern implement called the

plough . Therefore , in forming an estimate of the beneﬁts which have resulted from our inter course with the Danes , the primary industry of agriculture and dairy produce must not be omitted .

In all other branches of commercial activity , by the application of scientiﬁc methods , unbounded progress has been achieved . Has the Oldest industry of the county had a share in this attainment

or Of wealth , its rural population derived advance ment ? For a period of half - a - century our agri cul tura l leaders have held competitions known as agricultural shows , where valuable prizes have been

f or of a l l an d given live stock descriptions , rewards f or every design of mechanical appliance for T . o agriculture a stranger visiting these shows , it would appear that we brooked no rival in the production of dairy produce . What are the facts disclosed by the ﬁgures f or the p a st 2 5 or 50 years ? In the Year Book of the L a ncashire Past Agri cul tural Students ’ Association we are told that

a 1 8 0 to Parliament h nded over , in the year 9 , local

of f or of authorities , large sums money purposes

a technic l instruction , and that this marks the really substantial beginning of agricultural educ ation in

Lancashire .

a of With this st tement , made at the opening the twentieth century , it may be interesting to notice

2 1 8 TH E DAN ES I N LANCASH I R E

and Finnish labourers is decreasing , and it is from Galicia th at Denmark would n ow a ppear to recruit ” of a her f arm h ands . The number Galician se son l abourers in 1 908 reached or about o more th a n in 1 907 . The co perative organisations approached the Prime Minister with the proposal th at free p asses Should be gra nted on the State railway system to any unemployed a t Copenhagen having a knowledge of ﬁeld work to help in

a to a a to th e farming . This ttempt org nise back

” land movement is not expected to be attended with success . These ﬁgures show an incre ase of nearly double in

or an a of eleven years , incre se eight millions , and a n incre ase of two millions from 1 906 to 1 90 7 . It must be remembered th a t the bulk of Danish

to a i s produce comes the M nchester market , and of distributed from that centre . An analysis the 1 907 imports from Denmark gives the following details — Butter eggs ﬁsh lard b acon pork The item of b acon f or 1 90 7 shows an increase of on e million pounds over the year 1 9 06. The import Of Danish produce began in the early

a so sixties Of last century , and the qu lity was indifferent that we are told it wa s fortun ate if two

a of c sks butter were good out of every ﬁve . Even then the quality was superior to Irish butter in its

a n d taste appeara nce . The popul ation of Denmark

two a n d a a is half millions , and the cultivated rea of AGR ICULTU R E 2 1 9

land is seven million acres . The yield of crops to

2 8 the acre is bushels of wheat , while in E ngland it 0 is 3 3 bushels . In barley the yield is 3 bushels to

c ats 2 . our 3 5 bushels , and in it is 3 3 bushels to our 4 These ﬁgures show the comparative fruitfulness of the land to be in favour of England . The live stock per population in Denmark is 7 1 I cattle

2 6 6 8 2 to our 7, and pigs 5 3 to our The total imports for twenty years show that our dairy produce

from abroad has doubled , and is increasing at a rapid rate .

Comparisons of Danish methods of f a rming to - da y cannot be made with the present co ndi tions exis ti n g

a ca n ma in L ncashire or Yorkshire , but only be de by the modern conditions now obta ining in Essex

under Lord Rayleigh .

R S C OP DIMINI SHING .

What has been the course of our agriculture f or ? the past sixty years Mr . Cobden maintained that

Free Trade would do no inj ury to agriculture . The following is a comparison of prices in the years 1 845 a n d 1 907

1 8 1 0 . 45 . 9 7 ‘ l . a B a 6d 4 lo f of re d . 55 ‘ ’ l I b . l Butter 7d . - 1 2 d . 1 b d . 1 . Cheese 9 d I Ib d . a . i . B con 3 9

‘ ‘ 8d l l b d . . j . B eef 4 5 th e . 1904 . From Free Trader, issued by Liberal Free Traders , Dec , ’

f n t s tt n . Cob d en s t . From The Hu gry For ie , wri e by Mr daugh er 2 2 0 TH E DAN ES I N LANCASH I R E

Sixty years ago home - grown wheat produced ﬂour

- - f or twenty four millions of our population . To day it produces ﬂour f or four and a half millions . The acreage under wheat has been reduced in the l a st

- one - thirty years to one half in England , to third

- one ﬁf th . in Scotland , and to in Ireland The same is true of green crops . Nine hundred thousand acres less are under crops than were thirty years ago . The same may be said of the area under hop

h as . cultivation , which been reduced every year The only bright spot in the review of our agricultural position , extending over many years , is to be found in the growth of fruit , although this has not increased as rapidly as foreign importations . The result of these changes during the yast thirty ye ars has been an increase of imports of agricultural f produce of eighty millions . Our imports o wheat

- have increased by thirty two millions , our imports of dairy produce have increased by twenty - one

a millions , and eggs lone have increased by four millions sterling a year ; while fruit and vegetables

a h ve increased by ten and a half millions . The effect of this must be the increased dependence Of our on population foreign supplies . Agriculture ﬁnds employment f or a million less th a n it did sixty

a o. n ot years g These are facts and opinions , and we a re compelled to use the ﬁgures of the general

a of n tional imports , as the details the counties are n ot a av ilable .

R t i t i t h e f n From epor of Agr cul ural Comm tee of t Tarif Commi ss io .

2 2 2 TH E DAN ES I N LANCASH I R E of unemployed labour and the disposal of waste and of sewage , provides the solution a difﬁculty which of may become a source wealth , and restore the prosperity of a lost industry .

F CO ST O AGRICULTURAL EDU CATION .

A White p aper j ust issued by the Board of E ducation gives particulars as to the a mount spent by County Councils in Engl a nd an d Wa les on agricultura l education . The a mounts v a ry considerably in the different

f r a 1 o 0 8 . counties the year ending M rch , 9 In

a a a Engl nd , L nc shire takes the lead with a n d in Wales the county of Carmarthen is prominent with 59 7 . The gross total amounted to of which

was in grants to schools and colleges ,

f or a a n d f or schol rships , dairy instruction . The ﬁgures are approxim ate owing to the

ﬁ of a a a dif culty n lysing educ tion accounts . There are n ot wanting those wh o say that f arming

to a a cannot be made p y in Engl nd . Essex has f . For quite a di ferent experience here farms ,

a 2 0 a to a n d v rying in size from 5 cres over ,

a to have been m de return very good proﬁts . The whole secret lies in the work being conducted on scientiﬁc principles , and the careful watching of every penny expended , as well as giving the

a labourers direct interest in getting good results . AGR I CULTU R E 2 2 3

’ n Ra l ei h s a O Lord y g est te , Terling , which comprises

a a bout acres , striking results have been obt ined

a during the p st twenty years , his successes being a ttributed to the use of business and scientiﬁc ’ methods . F or many years past his lordship s

— brother , the Hon . E . G . Strutt probably one of the most experienced practical farmers in England

a h s had the management of the property , and has shown that farming ca n be carried on with a proﬁt in this country .

a s Essex is described ﬂat , but in the neighbour of hood Terling , which abuts on the Great Eastern

a Railway line at With m , there are numerous gently

at of a undulating plains , and even this time the ye r a stroll along the l a nes in the neighbourhood reveals many ple a sant surprises . Here and there the hedgerows are already bursting into delicate green b a uds , and in some pl ces the crops sown during the early winter for spring are showing above the rich

a re d rk brow soil . And many are the birds which a

a alre dy , as it were , getting into voice for the spring .

The county hereabouts is heavily wooded , the Chief

. a of are trees being oak , ash , and elm M ny these veritable giants and monarchs of the forest , now standing out alone on the sky - line in all their

a nakedness of winter outline , then in sm ll groups , again in such numbers as to become forests . On every hand are signs of activity . P loughing for the of moment is all over, though there are still ﬁelds stubble which have to be turned over and prepared 2 2 4 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

for crops in the near future . F ields which have already been ploughed are being heavily manured

n in readiness for sowing . And herein lies o e of the secrets of the successful farming prevailing in this favoured neighbourhood . Everyone knows , but n ot everyone acts upon the knowledge , that as the fertility of the soil is exhausted fresh nutriment must of be given . The observance this rule brings its

adv an own reward , as many have learned to their

are tage . Hedging and ditching in progress , and by the time that all b an ds will be required on the

a f or a l nd ploughing , sc rifying , harrowing , and sowing , hedges will have been trimmed and ditches cleaned . Some eighteen or twenty years ago Lord R ayleigh

to a wh o decided offer all his farm l bourers , number

2 0 on of . about 5 , bonuses the proﬁts their industry This scheme proved eminently successful ; so much s o h as , indeed , that Lord Rayleigh now gone a step further and offered to give every man wh o cares to

a invest his savings in his f rms 4 per cent . interest on a n d a a n ma such money , Share in y proﬁts which y a ccrue after that dividend h a s been paid . A very large proportion of th e men employed have taken of f advantage this O fer , which gives them Close upon

2 per cent . more than they were getting from the

Oﬂi ce a h a d Post Savings B nk , where they been in

a of f or the h bit putting their money , they are a

- a thoroughly respectable , self respecting , and frug l f community . It is n ow j ust a year since this O fer

2 2 6 TH E DAN ES I N LANCASH I R E of these beneﬁciaries will ever need the Ol d age pension . Lord Rayleigh has made only two stipulations

of . with his men , both aimed at unity administration One is that they cannot have any voice in the

a . m nagement of the estate , which Mr Strutt naturally

to a works the best advantage , and the other is th t only the savings of the labourer himself a n d his wife may be offered f or investment in the farms . Prob ably there is no farm where such intricate or such useful books are kept as on the Terling estates . Practically every ﬁeld is treated as a sep arate farm

. a to in itself Say , for instance , ﬁeld is be sown to of with wheat It has be ploughed , the cost

a a s which is charged in the book against th t ﬁeld ,

of a of also the value the m nure used , the price the

a n d seeds sown , all the time occupied in preparing

on a the land , and , later , in cutting the whe t , threshing , and sending it to market On the opposite page of the ledger is put the amount

a f or of a obt ined the grain , and the value the str w ,

n a n whether sold or used o the farms . A balance c

or a then be struck , and the proﬁt loss shown at w wh a . o gl nce On the proﬁt sho n , those did the

a v rious necessary labours receive their bonus . So

n . with every ﬁeld . But the system does ot end here

a f or a of A most c reful record is kept , ex mple , every cow— of the original cost , if bought , the amount

of a an d a milk she yields per year , her c lves , wh t

or they fetch when sold , their value if retained on AGR ICU LTU R E 2 2 7

the estate . Every Friday , the morning and evening milkings are accurately measured , and at the end of the year these ﬁgures are a dded up an d multiplied by seven for the seven days of the week . In this way it is known exactly how much milk each cow

800 gives . The annual average Should be about gallons , which is regarded as a very fair amount .

a There is , however, one cow , Lilac by n me , which seems to despise that average . Last year her yield

a of milk was no less than gallons , which is big record , even on the Terling estates .

Mr . Strutt reckons that a cow should give on an

6 0 s average 5 gallon of milk per year , and the cowmen get a bonus when the yield of the cows in their charge average that amount . The advantage of such records are enormous . If a cow does not 6 0 give 5 gallons of milk per annum , she is at once sold , as she does not pay for her keep . As there a re 800 no less than cows on the estate , the keeping of such records involves an enormous amount of

i s work , but it work which has a proﬁtable result ,

a s Of facilitating , it does , the weeding out poor dairy stock .

The same attention is paid to other departments .

are Records are kept of the sheep , of which there considerable ﬂocks scattered over the ﬁfteen farms comprised in the estate . It is the same with poultry , of which there are thousands roaming about the of farms , grubbing much of their food , but , course , some is thrown down for them in the various poultry 2 2 8 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E

on . y ards . N o hens are penned up the estate While that course is necessary where prize - show

a a a birds are re red , in the c se Of t ble poultry and poultry kept f or eggs pens are neither essential nor proﬁtable . With freedom the birds lay more

f or regularly , and are generally in better condition the table .

Asked as to whether eggs were not lost owing

to a . Iste d the hens l ying in the hedges , Mr , who is in Charge of the ofﬁce where all th e various books of

a n record are kept , said that few , indeed , if y, are of overlooked by those responsible , because the system of bonuses given by Lord Rayleigh , to which

a reference has already been m de . Those in Charge of the hens receive a reward on every score of eggs brought in . Every head of poultry reared also means a monetary beneﬁt to the workers .

D a ily between 60 a n d 80 1 7- gallon churns of milk a r a It a a t f e desp tched to London . is s id th rom no station along the Great Eastern Railway line is more milk sent to the Metropolis than from Witham . At present about 1 00 of these churns leave the sta tion

da every y, all the milk coming from the immediate t neighbourhood . Eggs are also sent o the Rayleigh

a D iries in vast qu a ntities . Every egg is carefully

tested before it le aves the estate . The poultry is f disposed o through middlemen . Other produce is

a t — a t f Col sold in the Essex m rke s Chelms ord ,

a nd a Chester , Witham , B r intree . This would include

2 3 9 TH E DAN ES I N LANCASH I R E

roﬁt- one f or n o distinctly p sharing , reform , however

a can a attr ctive , be economic lly good unless it is

ﬁnanci a lly sound .

a os . With whe at in rising market at s a quarter , the gra naries of the world holding back supplies a considera ble proportion of which are already cornered in America— an d bread dearer than it has

f or a of been many ye rs , the question the moment is , Can England become her own wheat grower ? Fourteen weeks after harvest the home supplies

a are exhausted . Britain needs ltogether , both

of a home and foreign , quarters whe t per f annum to provide her people with b read . O ut o the total area of a cres under crops of all sorts in the country only acres are devoted to the growth of wheat . English Climatic conditions can be relied upon to allow an average

a a production of three and h lf quarters per acre .

of The solution the problem , therefore , is simplicity itself . A matter of a cres taken to from those devoted meantime other crops , to to of pasturage ( say nothing deer forests , grouse

or moors , golf links) , even lying waste , and

f or developed wheat growing would produce ,

a roughly speaking , the extr necessary to our a nnual national food supply . Millions of acres of the land at present in other crops has grown wheat at a proﬁt in the past . I n the sixties and seventies the staple commodity was AGR ICULTU R E 2 3 1

i ts at most remunerative price . In 1 867 it touched

d . 6 s . the enormous average of 4 5 per quarter , while

1 8 1 1 8 6s . 8 d . later , in 7 and 73 , it stood at 5 and

s . d . 58 8 per quarter .

a — With the countries of the E st India , China , J apan— awakening to the potentialities of wheat as a ’ a food in place of rice , with America s pr iries becoming used up and her teeming millions

m a a ultiplying , and with Canad , Austr lia , and Argentina remaining at a standstill as regards wheat

production , it is clear that England ought to become

- s fﬁ i n self u c g .

To attain the desired end the vast possibilities of the agricultural science of to - day must be

appreciated and developed by every possible means . What can be done within England ’ s own borders

is the chief point to be considered , and some

experiments and experiences may point the way .

The ﬁrst question is , would home produced wheat ? pay F armers tell us that at 3 05 . a quarter wheat is

08 . j ust worth growing , but that each shilling over 3

means about 5s . Clear proﬁt . Would not wheat at ? 405 . an a cre be worth cultivating

As to the practical ways and means of obtaining

a this sum out of the soil , I must det il some of the

more modern scientiﬁc methods in agriculture . I have said that acres of the present area under crops could make us independent of

a foreign supplies . By pplying certain simple rules 2 3 2 TH E DAN ES I N LAN CAS H I R E

a of selection regarding seeds , a much sm ller area of land would give the same result .

Inste a d of 3 quarters per a cre — the present

— or average the yield could be doubled , even

a o a a trebled . Thirty years g , in Fr nce , three qu rters a n acre was considered a good crop , but the same soil with improved methods of cultivation nowad ays yields at least four qu arters per acre ; while in the best soils the crop is only considered good when it yields ﬁve quarters to six quarters an acre .

The work of the Garton brothers and of Professor

Biff en of a , C mbridge University , has clearly shown th at by careful selection a n d crossing of the best breeds of wheat the yield can be a ctually quad rupl e d .

’ H a l l et s famous experiments in selection demon strate that the length of the wheat ear can be

an d of doubled , the number ears per stalk nearly

e ar trebled . The ﬁnest he developed produced

1 2 a s a 3 grains , ag inst 47 in the original ear , and

2 to one a a s a 5 ears pl nt , gainst ten in the original .

a a In griculture , as in other m tters in which

a to a a Engl nd claims take le ding part , we have

to a . something le rn from the Continent France ,

a a of Belgium , and Germ ny h ve adopted a system co- operation which has reduced the cost of farming to a the sm llest possible limit . From a fund supplied partly by the Governments of these countries and

a a partly by the f rmers themselves , sm ll farms ,

2 34 TH E DAN ES I N LANCASH I R E

U P Y N G N S P OCC I OW ER HI .

’ t t wa s a n e a A ime here , ere Engl d s griefs b g n ,

a ta i ts ma n When every rood of ground m in ined , ’ B a a n ﬂ a ehold ch ge ; where er her g unfurled ,

It a t — - a to h e pres ged for h goods m ker t world .

a t t a a a ca Then we l h from r de , pure f rming h ndi pped

While gli ttering tow n s th e you thful swa in entra ppe d .

a n n a ta a In tr de , no lo ger , E gl nd s nds lone ,

n ee too of t B ul l t a t o n ow n . I d d , , John ge s be en his

n t h o a Depe den t on e w rld for ne rly every crumb , IS this a tim e when pa triots should be dumb ’ For E n gl a nd needs to gua rd ga i n s t fu ture strife

a t a o a Th b cking up wh ich c mes from rur l life .

a l l e ma t a nd e n Though inde d y use bo h book p , ’ The na tio n s wea l depe nds o n robust men

— n to t a a a n . I ured oil h rdy , virile b d

A n d these a re bred where owners till th e la nd .

SUPPLY OF WHEAT .

STRI D E S IN THE S CALE OF LIVING .

a of th e a of E rl Carrington , President Bo rd

a t a t of Agriculture , presided mee ing the

of a Society Arts , when paper upon the production

of . . . wheat was read by Mr A E Humphries . His lordship gave some very interesting j ottings from

a a f mily history , showing the gre t advance that had f taken place in the scale o living . The subj ect of

a t a I oo ea rs the lecture , he s id , reminded him h t over y AGR ICULTU R E 2 3 5 a o a g his gr ndfather , who was President of the

Board of Agriculture , made a speech in which he said that one of the most important subj ects with which the Board had to deal was the scarcity of wheat . It was curious that they were discussing

- . wa s the same subj ect to day His father , who born

1 0 a 3 years ago , had Often told him th t in the early p art Of last century they did not have white bread

at a was a . every me l , as it so sc rce I f that happened at the table of old Robert Smith , the banker , at

“ W a hiteh ll , what must the bread of the working cl a sses have been like '

a 1 8 8 1 8 8 2 . In the ﬁve ye rs from 7 to , said Mr

1 1 l b . Humphries in his lecture , we produced 7 of

2 8 lb . wheat per head per annum , and imported 3 , while in the years from 1 903 to 1 90 7 we produced

68 . 2 8 l b . only lb per head , and imported 4 For many years British wheat had been sold at sub stan ti a l l y lower prices than the best foreign , and in the

a Of - c pacity making large , shapely , well aerated and dige stible loaves the home - grown grain wa s notably deﬁcient . It was commonly attributed to our

was climate , and people said that Great Britain not a wheat producing country . The real reason was that farmer did not grow the right kind of wheat .

n ot a It was a matter of clim te or of soil , but of of catering for the particular kind of soil in which

Of the grain was to be grown . The crux the whole question was to obtain a variety of seed th at would

suit the environment . Farmers , instead of aiming 2 3 6 TH E DAN ES I N LAN C A S H IR F

a h a d to a s at qu lity , striven get large a yield per acre as possible .

- H on . . . e f or The J W Taverner , Agent G neral l ot of a a Victoria , said that he had heard a t lk bout the efﬁciency of the Territorial Army a n d the safety of the country . I f only the men were fed on bread baked from Australi an wheat England had nothing

f or a to a . to fear , the men would be equ l nything

INDEX

’ ’

28 . O th 40. Acle, Back hill , 63 a n . a 3 4. Ad mso , B cup ,

3 9 . s 3 2 3 8 62. Adali , , , Balder,

n 24. l i 5 3 . Ae la, K g, Ball (Olaf) ,

i t e 215 . an d n 172. A gr cul ur , Ballads War So gs,

n 7. B al l r 5 3 . Ai sdale, ,

15 9 . t n 62. Aire, Balders o e,

Al e 16. 84 , Bamber, .

15 2. n n 3 1. Alexa dria, Ba bury,

th e t 26 3 3 . nn te 68 . Alfred Grea , Ba is r,

3 . 2 t r 2 3 . Al ca , Barrow ford ,

Aml eth 1 3 . 7 68 . , Barker, i — 3 9 Al f er 3 8 . t n 140. g , Baske maki g,

- Amoun d erness 5 . t 15 . , Ba h day,

nas t s 68 . tt ﬁ 3 7. A a ius, Ba le eld ,

n s n 63 . Battl eston e 3 7. A der o , ,

1 0. n n n 7 tt 69 . A gel choir of Li col , Becke ,

n n t n 17. 69 . A glia popula io , Beck ,

n 13 . 49 A laby, Bede, .

2 3 5 3 6 3 41. Anl af 25 3 7 e 16. , , , , , , B er,

n t e 68 . m n 3 5 A s ic , Bellu bru , .

d r 112. n 24 Ara 25 5 0. , Ber icia, , ,

m 112. Aratu e n 18. , B ssi gby,

Arel e 8 . B i n r 62. , 2 il l g ,

n i n tt 48 . i 7. Ar s de K o , B rkdale, 2 n f 27. t 2 . Ar cli fe, Birke , ’

3 1 3 5 . Art 174. , Bishop s leap , , 4 ' Ath el ﬂ oed th e n 10 . t t 3 7. , Lady of Mercia s, Bishop s House Es a e ,

t t n 26 3 0 3 3 3 4 3 5 3 7 49. Bl a b urn sh i re n 5 . A hels a , , , , , , , g hu dred , ‘ ’

Bl ak o r 28 . 15 8 . Asia, g ,

t 28 . u t n 68 . Aug s i , Blawi h ,

Bl owi ck 8 . t n 68 . 2 Aus i , , ‘ ’

84. t 15 8 . Aus ria, Boer , ’

69 . t 15 8 . Aus ralia, Bois, ’ 4 Bond 2 . 28 . r Axle, ,

n ﬁ e 40. t n t 27. Ay o (grea ) , Bo r hill, 2 49 IND Ex

t 84 n t 64. h , C p h , Boo , a e urs

— - 2 t Tun l a 3 3 3 4 . Boul s worth 3 . C hi y , , as le ll ’

t r 15 8 . y 69 . C , Bo s, a s c adle

3 3 . B ractae tes 174. , Causeway , ‘ ’ n 18 . 67. Breck , Car aby , ff Ca s te rcl i e 3 2 3 5 . n t n 18 . Bridli g o , , ,

t 185 . r t n 1. B i o s , Cel ic burial ,

t t 3 4. n 64 o f S ra hclyde , Chapma , .

B road cl ou h 41. 64. g Dykes, Cheap ,

4. 3 4. 6 Broad Dyke, Cheapside ,

B roadb an k 3 5 . t 64. , Cheps ow , — 4 3 163 1 4. 69 . te 2 6 Brock , Ches r, , ,

b u 3 - - t B ri nca rh 0. t l e t 5 3 . , Ches er s ree , ’

n 3 0. n i n 15 8 . Br kbur , Childre s games,

3 1. 23 . Bromborough , Childwall , ‘ ’ B r wned e 35 40. t o n n tt 15 8 . g , , Chris ia Su day Le ers, B rownen d 40 — . r 163 164. , Chu ches,

Brown si d e 3 5 . t n 164. , Church ow ,

- - n 28 29 . 4 t n 12 . Bru , , Claugh o ou brock ,

n n 28 3 1. t 3 2 48 . Bru a burh , , Cli heroe , , d 3 B run f or 0. n 143 . , Clog alma acs,

t n 3 1. r n 144. B u o , symbols, B mb ri d e 3 ru 0. n 175 . g , Coi age ,

3 1. n 3 2 Brumby , Col e , . ‘ ’ 4 8 . n t nt n n ts 3 0. Bud , Co s a i e , Ki g of Sco , ‘ ’

3 1. n 64. Burh , Copema ,

rn 29 48 . n 4 y , , C pe 6 . Bu le o la d ,

23 . n n 64. Burscough , Cope hage ,

t n 8 4. 64 . Buer o , Copley ,

t n 8 4 . th n 4 Co e or 6 . Bur o , p ,

- - t n n t 24. k 4 Co n oo 3 . Bur o ou Tre , py ,

- n 99 . n t 15 8 . Bushel cor , Cor spiri , ‘ ’ - B 8 . tt n y , C i h 13 . law o g am , ‘ ’

8 4. C 5 1. Byr, raik , Yorkshire,

84. t n 26 Byrom , Cra hor e , .

z nt n i ns 174. 6 23 . By a i e Co , Crosby , ,

e 195 . Cross s ,

rn 185 t t 19 . Cai s , . Crox e h , 2 7 8 175 . Cal d a 22. y , Cuerdale , , ,

2 n 5 3 . Cal d era 2 . , Cumberla d , al d t t rt nt 5 0 5 3 er n s 22 2. C s o e 18 . , , Cu hbe , Sai , , h n t C ut erd 5 3 . 5 177. Ca u e , , , Bishop ,

- n tt n 182. 15 5 . Ca dlemas , Cup cu i gs ,

2 42 I ND E X

t n 48 . Hap o , Harb reck 19 , .

Harki rk e , 7, 177.

’ H au r g , 6. 65 Kell, .

5 5 . y, t 65 Ha Kelle , . n r 5 1. y i , n 164 Ha do B dge Ke dal , .

z 3 6. , n t 1 0 7 . Ha el Edge Ki go, poe , l 40 C h , . i 17 1 He l loug 8 . K rk Ella, , m n 20 8 . l Wi , n t n 2 He d . Kirk Levi g o , 7 t 25 p hy, . 6 1 8 . He arc Kirkby, ,

t 107. Herio , i r in v n 2 y C 7. K kb le ela d ,

18 . Hessle, s 27 164 Kirkby Moor ide, , . s 1 21. Hey ham , t n 2 7. Kirkby Misper o , Hi h l awhi l l 3 6. i g , . t n 164 K rkby S ephe , . ’

6. Hofs, n 16 4. Kirkby Lo sdale, H orel aw t 3 6. pas ures, 5 6 19 2 Kirkdale , , , , 7. ’ Hl i th 4 ‘ ’ 8 . , 6 Kirkja Church, . 11 ‘ ’ 2. , Knotta 4 Hoe 8 . , t n 105 121 g , , n tt En d 4 Ho back s o e 8 . K o Mill,

48 . Hoop , n tt n 4 8 . K o i gley, 4 8 . p , n t Ho e 48 . K u , Ho eh ead 48 ‘ ’ p , . Kn utr 4 , 8 . t n 4 8 . Hope o , n t 48 K u sford , . H o eki rk 4 p , 8 .

’ 5 5 . Hoylake , 15 7. Lake, game, 5 5 Howick , . n n 90 La d Te ure , . H u dl t es on 96. , Lau arda t 15 g . g , ba h day , n t 14 C , . Hu dred our n 23 . Lawme , tt n J n 96. Hu o oh , La 1 y f N 73 . o orse gods, t 3 5 Hurs wood , . an 80. Loom , D ish , n 111 112 b y, , . - - - Hus a dr L t n en l e M th n or o or e , Yorks t n 8 Hus i gs, . a n t n 84. Le mi g o , t n 5 5 Huy o , . t 48 Le hbridge , . H n r th e n 3 7 3 y g , D , , 8 . m 2 a e 7. Levisha , n 6 5 . Li dsey , I d a n 2 4. , Ki g , n n 2 5 . Li disfar e , n 5 0 I gleby, . t n 4 8 . Li herla d , n v n and n t 1 2 . i q , , , 3 Li t t 16 I as o Co ues era ure 8 . , 2 ‘ y, 2. ’ Irb s kr k e 1 0. y o f day , 7 n 180 Irela d , . n 1 0 7 . su rise , t n 1 i h Ch i i 80. Ir s r s a s, Li th oe 4 g , 8 .

22. Ivar, t 4 8 . Li he, I ND EX 2 43

’ 23 47. t 63 Liverpool, , O er, .

- L 8 1 . o tt 63 . g law, O er,

n n 13 . t t 63 . Lo g hu dred, O ley,

n t 13 . Gram 63 . Lo g weigh , , ’ n 4 . 63 . Lo sdale, Orm ,

t n 5 1 . 63 . Lor o , Orme , ‘ ’ - Lu 8 1. 63 . g mark , Ormerod , 155 n . r 27. Lu ar cycle, O mesby,

n 65 . h Ormes aw G3 . Lu d , ,

t 65 . 13 1. Lys er , Ormside cup ,

rm 23 63 . O skirk , ,

Mack erfi el d 5 4. r O m d . , stea , 185

Maesh i r 5 4. t 27. , Osmo herley, ’

n 5 1. 25 . Maide Way, Osric, ’

t 34. n 25 . Ma ches er, Oswald , ’

0 . n t n 1 6 Oxl 28 . Ma orial exac io , ,

n Ins t ns 13 8 . t n 22. Ma x crip io , Ox o ,

i s 161. Memor al ,

25 . t n 85 . Mercia, Pa o ,

i n 3 4. t n 60. Merc a s, Lady of, Pa ro ymics, ’

e 24. P e cth un 85 . rul , , ’

t 106. n 25 . Merche , Pe da,

Merecl ou h 3 9 . t n 85 . g , Pey o ,

4 t 9 . 3 . 7 Mersey, Physical ypes, ’

t n 85 . t 142. Messe s aves, Pic o , 5 t 8 115 . ns n 143 . Moo , cha ges, Pic s, ,

t t 85 . 189 . My hology, Pic ure,

115 . Piko, — an d n n n 14 47. Names, Norse A glo Saxo , Place ames,

112. s n 5 6. Nel o , Admiral , Plough,

P l . i l o r 112. N e son, 5 6. g t 89 . N u 189. n or s, Poli ical Freeme , P h r t au an oth 15 2. 5 5 . Norse Fes ival, ,

t 25 0 t n 23 . 27 7 . Nor humbria, , , Pres o ,

N orth um rl an d P restune 23 . b e , ,

- st 142. nn n t n 23 27. Nu i g o , , Prim aves ,

- n 142. Prima lu a,

’

n n 23 4. Occupyi g ow ership ,

i n 99. s 197. Q Od , , uakers, ‘ ’

nt 199. The desce of, l ’ 1 O , 6.

’

62. Oller,

nt 63 . Olave, Sai , 2 44 I ND EX

R n 115 . Si eward 163 . ave , , Earl, ve Ra nsh ore 115 . Sh a k es 1 , ere 93 . p ,

Ravensmeol s 23 . , 78 . Skelmersdale ,

R t n ta 48 . , t n 27. aw e s ll Skel o ,

- — Re d 3 3 3 6. L , 18 . ees Skidby ,

Re n ol d B amb orou h 3 4. g f g , 5 5 . o Skipper , — 9 4 - R 2 3 . i , t 179 . bble Sigurd S ory , ’

R n 9 . i i , hi , nn n t n 23 . d gs Yorks re Si i g o , - ‘ ’ Rims tock 143 144. i nﬁ n , 3 9 . S , , 40 ‘ ’ Rimur 143 . h , Si t ri c n 35 . Ki g , n t R n 115 . 1 i i Pi , 6 20 21. v g o ke Socage , , ,

R , 23 . o m n n i oby S ch a 19 9 1. , ,

R 8 4. , h ochdale Soc man 14 20. , ,

n . R , 26 oma days Sochmanri es 20. ,

’ B 3 9 . y , n t 105 . oole Socme of Pe erboro ,

Ros s en d al e 4. , 8 Sod or an d an M , 83 .

R n l 40. u i , o d H l Speke , R t tn y Ch , N i , 15 5 . o al ar ers orse w esses Solar cycle , ’ Runa 13 7. , 65 . Spika,

R n 13 7. , t t n 104. u es S a esme , R ni n a 141. — u , t nt n 26 7. c Alma cs S ai o ,

n 1 . , 5 5 Cale der Stead smen 104. , c t 143 15 3 . Ch , , t 26. ara ers S okesley, n t n 13 8 . I ip i , t n 68 scr o s S iga d , . t ’ , 13 9 . Fu hork Sti i ns 68 . gg , n n t 1 8 1. M , t n s e 119 . o ume s S o e Cro s s , ‘ ’ uth l i R e 3 9 . , t t n 22. S ore o ,

t n 103 . Slavery aboli io , ’ Sa tt r ‘ ’ e e 22. , Stock sted e t t 23 . , Crox e h , 1 69 1 4. , , 7 Su d re Sagas ar 8 3 . yj , n 5 f h , . t t n 15 9 20 5 . Sal ord u dred Supers i io s , , t te t t 22. , Sun 1 Sa r hwai e 5 2. , Sax i ﬁel d 3 , 0, 3 5 42. t , n 8 3 . Su herla d ,

67. i i , Sw arb ri Scar sbr ck ck 67. ,

‘ ’ c 22. , n Sea ombe e 15 6. Swede lake gam , Sell aﬁ el d 22. , Swi n d ene 4 , 0.

’ 22. , S wi n l Seascale ess n 3 5 3 7. la e, , Seath wai th e ’ 22. i n , n at 3 7. S w de w er, tt t n 12. Se leme s, ’ v 1 03 . r i , c t t 1 Se an 3 8 . Ta i us , his ori , e n 3 ‘ ’ h , 7. S rbor e 107. Tallage , fﬁ 3 5 She eld , . n Ta dd nessc l f e 28 . Ta shel f, y , t 1 h i , 7. S o w ck n 16. Tha e,

2 46 I NDEX

3 6 Widdop , .

Yarb 12 24 or 84. Wirral , , . g, 4 t 1 h , 8 . 7 25 27. Yarboroug Whi by , , , Yerb ur h 4. g , 8 l n n t 64. Wool e ma ufac ure,

s 18 9. i , t Yggdra l n 3 6. Wors hor e, ’ r n l 114 hi hi f . Yorks e c ldre s o klore , Wul f ri c t 24 Spo , . i n 211 Yule, orig , . W coll ar 4 y , 1.

W d ale y , 62. 10 Wylde , . 62 Wyre, .

U N IVERSI TY OF CALIFORN IA LIBRARY BERKELEY

r r i h rr Retu n to d esk f om wh c b o owed .

k D n th l ast a t st am Thi s b oo i s UE o e d e ped bel ow.